Sack Iwu now!

International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), a Non Government Organization (NGO) based in Anambra state-Nigeria, demands immediate removal of Professor Mauris Iwu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). (Picture shows Umeagbalasi)

According to a public statement signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, chairman, board of trustees of the body, the 2007 elections which Professor Iwu’s INEC conducted had been credibly questioned in about ten states and hundreds of senatorial and other legislative constituencies.

The statement which was made available to KlinReports, notes that although some of the electoral petitions survived on ‘technical justice’, others have been upturned. The body remarks that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua made a narrow escape in this respect.

Incidentally, Intersociety’s demand for Iwu’s sack is coming on the heels of a curious vote of confidence by the Nigerian senate passed on him (Iwu) over the controversial polls.

Part of Intersociety’s demand includes immediate acceptance, enactment and implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais electoral reform document.

The organization, also, demands the elevation of Honourable Justice Garba Nabarume’s elevation to appeal court, and subsequently to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“The recent Ondo state electoral verdict by the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal was made possible by the Nabaruma’s thoroughness and water-tight adjudication. In Ondo state, he refused to be bought over by political marauders and driers of our commonwealth. Again, he and his learned brothers shunned intimidation and delivered a unanimous verdict’, Intersociety submits.

The group notes that the on-going celebrations in Ondo and Ekiti states concerning their meritorious judgments were due to the combined efforts of Mr. Peter Obi, who is now Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state and Honourable Justice Garba Nabaruma who put in everything to painstakingly ensure dispensation of justice without fear or favor. This is because Nabarume’s eventual judgment ‘facilitated the staggered electoral time-table in Nigeria and introduced electoral justice as an alternative to election rigging, political violence and stark abuse of public office’.

It calls on the Nigerian people to stop adding the appellation of Governor to persons who the courts had pronounced that they were duly elected: “It is also extremely important to remind Nigerians, especially, the media that by virtue of pronouncements by courts of competent jurisdiction in Anambra State (Mr. Peter Obi versus Dr.Chris Ngige & ors), Edo State (Mr. Adams Oshomoile versus Professor Osumbor & ors) and Ondo State (Dr. Olusegun Mimiko versus Chief Olusegun Agagu & ors), the trio of Dr. Chris Ngige, Chief Olusegun Agagu and Professor Osumbor were never governors of these three states”.

Intersociety reminds members of the public that addressing these individuals as “their excellencies or former governors” amounts to a gross breach of the 1999 Constitution, in particular, sections 287(2) and 287(3).