FAYOSE TEARS APART COMPOSITION OF CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE
Omooba Risawe
The controversial Ekiti State Governor,Ayodele Fayose on Wednesday kicked againstthe composition of constitutional and electoral reform committee, alleging that the committee chairman,Senator Ken Nnamani is not fit and credible to head the committee.
He made the declaration and observation known at the committee public hearing held at June 12 Cultural Centre,Abeokuta,alleging that the former Senate President is a South-East regional leader of All Progressives Congress(APC) and would be partisan.
His words ‘If this government is actually serious about electoral reform,then the chairman of this committee should resign and allow an independent person to take over. Senator(Dr) Ken Nnamani is a South-East regional leader of APC,and hence incapable of rising above primordial and party sentiments to give us anything different from electoral inclusiveness that we have at the moment’.
Fayose in his 3 pages speech emphasised that,there was no gainsaying that this electoral review body is not needed until the panel is equitable,apolitical and devoid of influence from the powers that be,sstressing that,’he who comes to equity must come with clean hands’
The governor represented by Hon Samuel Omotoso, Chairman House Committee on Information, Ekiti State House of Assembly said he has no reservation about reviewing and reforming electoral process but was reluctant about the sincerity of purpose deploy each time we display such political hallucinations under the guise of reformss.
‘This has amounted severally to playing to the gallery and this committee just like others that have embarked on several wild goose chases in the past is not likely to be different’,he declared.
He also posited that the only time the country made attempt at a reliable electoral reform was during the tenure of President Umaru Yaradua who appointed retired Chief Justice Mohammed Uwais as the Chairman.
‘This singular move gave the panel credibility,widespread acceptability and massive supports from all over the country and across political divides’,Fayose stated.
In the same development, Fayose observed that such cannot be said of this panel that is overshadowed with massive moral burdens and conflict of interest as a result of the Chairman being aa card carrying member of a political party called APC
He also indicted the police in the electoral process, saying that the establishment has allowed itself to be used for the selfish interest of those in power.
‘We all know those who commit crimes during the elections but this same people are protected using the police,who is suppose to ensure orderliness and legal consequences for electoral infractions’
‘The police would rather arrest and prosecute the victims of electoral malpractice and violence while releasing the actual aggressors due to the relationship of these offenders to the government in power’,he added
However, in his response,Nnamani declared that there was nothing to be afraid of by the governor as the Committee report would still pass through the Presidency and the National Assembly, which has members drawn from different political parties.
“It does not make sense to say that because I am no longer a member of the PDP that I will compromise. Six months ago,I was with PDP and then nobody is talking about being compromised now I am in APC and the story is changing’,he said.
“Does it mean I don’t have the fundamental right to belong to any association, which the Governor of Ekiti State is trying to infringe upon? Nnamani queried.
