The Nomination Of Party Flag Bearers For Local Government Chair Person And Ward Councilor Elections By A State Governor Is Unlawful -By Enoch Samson Peri

The local government is considered the government at the grassroots because it is closer to the common man than any other tier of government. It is presumed that its effect should be highly felt by the people at the grassroots. Recently, the expected effect of the local government is not felt because of bad leadership which is caused majorly by the means through which the local government leaders come into the office, as in the case at hand. The undemocratic, primitive, and lawless practice of state governors nominating candidates for local Government chairperson and ward councilor elections is growing by the day. Some people are of the opinion that the state governor is like a leader of his political party in the state, as such, he can make such decisions on behalf of the party and the masses, No matter how beautiful the idea seems to be, it is against good thinking and the law of the land.

Such a practice, encourage the coming into power of person’s who might not have the approval of the masses and breed leaders who are not accountable and responsible to the common man but to their nominee.
In an ideal society, the masses are supposed to produce a party flag bearer through either direct or indirect primary election, after all, that is what democracy entails; the expression of the will of the common man!

The Electoral Act 2010 has made clear cut provision for the nomination of party flag bearers for local government chairperson and ward councilor elections. Section 87 of the Evidence Act provides thus:
87.-( 1 ) A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

(2) The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions shall be by direct or indirect primaries.

(3) A political party that adopts the direct primaries procedure shall ensure that all aspirants are given equal opportunity of being voted for by members of the party.

(4) A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the
choice of its candidate shall adopt the procedure outlined below-

(d) in the case of the position of a Chairmanship candidate of an Area Council, a political party shall, where they intend to sponsor candidates-

( i) hold special congresses in the Area Councils, with delegates voting for each of the aspirants at designated centers on a specified date; and

( ii) the aspirant with the highest number of votes at the end of voting shall be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and the aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the Commission as the candidate of the party.

(e) in the case of a Councillorship candidate, the procedure for the nomination of the candidate shall be by direct primaries in the ward and the name of the candidate with the highest number of votes shall be submitted to the Commission as the candidate of the party.

From the wordings of the law above, it is clear that the power to nominate party flag bearers for local government chairperson and ward councilor elections rests on the people and not the state governor.
Finally, to build the democracy we all seek, we must check these excesses and abuse of power by few people who see themselves as ‘almighty’, the common man must be given his own stake in democracy and must be ready to actively play it!