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The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP)
said it supports the chairman of the Electoral Reform Commission (ERC),
Muhammadu Uwais’ rejection of the method adopted by the government in
appointing Attahiru Jega as the new chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr. Uwais recently faulted the government for not
strictly following the recommendations of the ERC in nominating Mr.
Jega last week.

But the government, in a statement by the media aide
to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ima Niboro, said it followed extant
law, and not the Uwais Panel recommendations in making the law.

The CNPP, in a statement by its spokesperson, Osita
Okechukwu, on Tuesday, insisted that it is in support of Mr. Uwais,
since only the ERC recommendations could guarantee transparent polls in
the country.

“CNPP, for the umpteenth time, reaffirms that on the
Uwais Report we stand, and on any genuine attempt to reconstruct a
truly Independent National Electoral Commission, which consequently
will guarantee a free, fair, and transparent 2011 elections and
beyond,” the statement said.

The group added that the ERC report and its core
recommendations were borne out of national consensus, rated as a
guiding principle and an article of faith in any genuine attempt to
salvage Nigeria from poor electoral process. It added that the report
will restore the image of the country in the comity of nations and
reinvent the standard and quality of its election.

“CNPP is outraged that President Goodluck Jonathan
and his cabal can now conveniently pull a volte-face and join
anti-democrats in revoking the Uwais Report. For it was convenient to
promise to implement the Uwais Report during the hectic route to become
an Acting President, and abandon it as a substantive president. It is
the height of paradox on the part of President Jonathan.

“CNPP, in league with Justice Uwais and other
democrats, are of the candid view that President Jonathan can amend the
constitution under one month if he places national interest above self
interest to contest the 2011 elections.”

The group recalled it had severally called on Mr.
Jonathan to submit an executive bill, in accordance with the three
bills in the Uwais Report as a change agent which he proclaims himself
to be, noting “rather, what we have today as the First Amendment is
nothing but self glorification, with neither electoral reformn or
restructuring of the federation addressed.”

Working with the law

It said that Mr. Jega and the other democrats among
President Jonathan’s nominees could still have emerged, had the
template of the Uwais Report recommendations been adopted.

“Today, unfortunately, Mr. Jega has inherited an
excess baggage which includes the remnants of Professor Maurice Iwu’s
henchmen in the new INEC.”

The CNPP challenged Mr. Jonathan to muster the
political will to harvest the legacy which genuine electoral reform, in
accordance with the Uwais Report, will bequeath on the nation and
himself, noting that this could be done before the amendment is
concluded by the legislature.

However, Mr. Niboro explained that Mr. Jonathan was
moved to act in the appointment of the INEC officials as a result of
the shortness of time.

“No matter how we feel about the reforms, the law is
the law, and Justice Uwais probably knows this more than the rest of
us. For now, the law in place mandates the President to nominate the
Chairman and members of the electoral commission, along with state
chairmen of INEC, present them to the National Council of State, which
is advisory, and send to the Senate for screening,” he said.

“This is exactly what the President has done. The recommendations of
the Uwais panel, no matter how well meaning, remain recommendations
until they are passed into law by the National Assembly.”