Abuja
30 June 2008
Nigeria's electoral reform panel, which is to recommend what should bedone to improve elections, has concluded nationwide public hearings.Vote-rigging and violence have undermined free and credible electionsin Africa's most populous country as Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reportsfor VOA.
The ruling Peoples' Democratic Party was declaredwinner of 28 of 36 state governorship elections in the discredited 2007ballot, while President Umaru YarAdua was named winner of thepresidential poll with more than 70 percent of the vote.
But theelections were so chaotic, with widespread vote-rigging, ballotstuffing and intimidation that independent election observers said theresults were not credible.
In response, President YarAduainaugurated a 22-man electoral panel in August, 2007, with a call tobring Nigeria's elections to international standards.
AbdullahiJalo, a ranking member of the Peoples' Democratic Party, says thepresident's commitment to free and fair elections in Nigeria iscommendable.
"Let us be realistic," he said. "We have to start fromsomewhere and move forward. Had it been YarAdua came in and continuedthe former system we will say nothing has changed. Therewere some mistakes here and there, and he [YarAdua] says he wants tocorrect those mistakes, he should be given a chance."
Despite his massive win in 2007, critics say YarAdua is a tainted man, the beneficiary of an illegitimate election.
Nigeria courts have annulled the election of several officials since national polls more than a year ago.
YarAdua'schallengers in the presidential race have appealed to the Supreme Courtafter a tribunal dismissed their complaints and turned down theirdemand for a rerun.
Public hearings of the committee gave Nigerians the opportunity to suggest ways to make future elections more credible.
Thehuge gains awaiting those in office, the lack of an independentelection regulator and harsh punishments for violators of electorallaws emerged as some of the factors undermining the election process.
Jalo says any recommendations made by the panel will require considerable reform of the constitution.
"Theremust be a serious approach to amend some sections in our constitution,"he said. "Some of the provisions of the constitution must be expungedto allow the electoral reform to work; otherwise you can't say you aregoing to make anything."
Public hearings commenced in May and the committee is expected to publish a report in August.