Federal Government has been advised to avoid releasing the result of the census conducted in 2006 before next year’s election, given the series of complaints that greeted the exercise, which therefore, put its credibility in question.
In a statement issued in Lagos, a political analyst and human rights lawyer, Olakunle Agbebi, said the census exercise conducted in March, this year witnessed series of complaints all over the country while it was going on, which even necessitated an extension by the Federal government.
He said going by such complaints where some people even claimed not to have been counted during the exercise using such results for our imminent elections could create crisis of confidence in an atmosphere that was already getting tensed.
He said since the census exercise was characterised by complaints and questioning, the results too may as well be questioned at this point in time.
On INEC, Agbebi said its lack of true independence would be the bane of the organisation particularly in the light of comment emanating from it in recent times. Issues of funding which are so key to its success as an organisation remain squarely in the hands of the executive arm of government and from all indications it would appear that he pays the piper would clearly dictate the tune come 2007.
Agbebi, who had earlier advocated true independence for INEC again stated that there is an urgent need to ensure clear impartiality in this essential organ of democracy by removing the appointment of its key officers and the funding from the ambit of the executive arm of government.
He urged the electorate to be vigilant during the exercise which he said could still be manipulated particularly with the insistence of INEC to use computer for the registration exercise.
He wondered how this would work effectively in a country that suffered seriously from power problem and where the greater majority of the people did not understand the working of simple computer and were complete stranger to data processing.
Speaking on the delay often experienced in the adjudication of electoral process, the lawyer explained that the judiciary was hampered more by insufficiency in modem tools and conducive working environment than by procedure in the execution of their constitutional duties.
He said in the modern world where most court recording were done by electronic means, most courts in Nigeria still record proceeding in functions effectively. Long-hands, which essentially is the reason for delays in the dispensation of justice.
Urging that our political process should abide strictly by electoral act, he urged the authority to put machinery in place for speedy dispensation of electoral disputes by providing electronic equipment, secretarial support with research assistance as well as adequate security to ensure effective performance of the judicial functions.