Nigeria: Electoral reform urgent

2009-05-03 19:05

Abuja - Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has urged parliament to quickly pass electoral reform legislation to avoid a repeat of last weekend's botched election in southwestern Ekiti state, a spokesperson said on Sunday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week delayed the gubernatorial election in Ekiti after voting in the town of Oye, home to 18 000 voters, was disrupted by security threats from "politicians and their gangs". INEC has rescheduled voting in Oye for Tuesday.

The state poll is being closely watched by local and foreign observers to see whether Africa's most populous country has improved its electoral process since the flawed 2007 national election. The OPEC member holds its next presidential poll in two years.

"President Yar'Adua is of the view that the problem with elections in Nigeria is largely systemic," said spokesperson Olusegun Adeniyi in a statement.

Do-or-die

"The president is not unmindful of the fact that most members of our political elite are not ready to play by the rules and that they see politics as a do-or-die affair."

Yar'Adua promised to institute electoral reforms after the April 2007 federal polls, which brought him to power, were so marred by ballot-stuffing and voter irregularities that local and foreign observers said they were not credible.

Some analysts say time is running out for Nigeria to implement electoral reforms if it is to avoid a repeat at the 2011 national elections.

Nigeria's cabinet in March sent parliament a draft electoral reform bill that included independent funding for INEC, breaking the agency up so it can better focus on electoral conduct and prosecution of election riggers.

Yar'Adua on Thursday sent letters to the leaders of the two parliament chambers requesting the bill's "expeditious passage," Adeniyi said.

Even if approved, critics say the reforms are not enough to guarantee free and fair elections in two years.

- Reuters