Governor Idris Wada
By Chuks Okocha and Shola Oyeyipo
As the political uncertainty that hit Kogi State following last week’s Supreme Court judgment that ended the tenure of five governors begins to settle, the recently sworn-in Governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada, has banned courtesy calls.
The announcement came just as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the swift resolution of the confusion that arose in Kogi and other states on the tenure of state governors. The Labour Party (LP), however, has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner INEC resolved the matter and threatened to drag the commission to court.
Wada Tuesday stated in Lokoja, when he received some traditional rulers from Dekina, that it was now time to concentrate on governance and not to be distracted by visits.
“I will not entertain any further courtesy calls for now,” he said, adding that it was time to work.
He said the task before him was to organise his government and settle for government business, which he said “is a very serious one.”
The PDP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Ahmed Alkali, said: “The timely intervention of the Electoral Umpire has no doubt doused the raging tension and uncertainty that citizens of the affected states were thrown into. We wish to particularly applaud INEC for the directive given for the immediate swearing in of Captain Idris Wada as governor of Kogi State whose election was already concluded before the judgment.”
According to PDP, “INEC’s decision to quickly fix new dates for the gubernatorial elections in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Sokoto and Cross River States, as well as the endorsement of candidates dully nominated by the various political parties, has also gone a long way in calming frayed nerves, reducing tension and bringing back confidence to our democratic process.”
But the LP disagreed with INEC and rather threatened to drag INEC to court should it go ahead to conduct elections as promised in disregard to the Supreme Court judgment that ordered that fresh elections must be conducted
within 90 days from the date of judgement.
It also insisted that INEC must issue new election timetable for the conduct of the governorship elections in the five states affected in such a manner that all registered political parties interested in participating in contesting the governorship elections shall do so without being exposed to any disadvantage which the earlier misconception had presented.
Addressing journalists in Abuja Tuesday, National Chairman of the party, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, said INEC has no powers to disregard the position of law as expressed by the Supreme Court.
He said, “The Supreme Court judgement last Friday is explicit on the mode of the election, INEC should not be acting as if it is now partisan, elections are not something you just announce and railroad people into it. Parties and candidates must be given time to prepare, the constitution that stipulates between 60 and 90 days for the processes is not stupid neither are the people that put the electoral act together.
“My party will not relent until this act of illegality by the electoral umpire is addressed and if they fail to retrace their steps, we will see in the court. I can tell you that my party will be fielding candidates in all the five states affected but it is not proper for somebody to wake one morning to announce that election will hold tomorrow. There has to be proper consultation, and the political parties must be consulted. It is beyond INEC making pronouncement and it is even unfortunate when its pronouncement contradicts the judgment of the Supreme Court.”