Update On INE Iwu Shopping For Endorsement For a Second Term Bid

Adelani Adepegba writes on the accompanying import of the visit by the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu, to the Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the other day in Enugu.

When the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, detoured from his working visit to Abia State to pay an unannounced call on the National Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, in Enugu penultimate Saturday, not a few people were surprised by the move.

The visit which some see as most unusual came at a time the electoral commission boss was under fire by civil organizations, political parties and labour unions who all wanted him not to be reappointed for a second term. Their grouse against Iwu was based on his alleged unimpressive conduct of elections in the country which had foisted corrupt and visionless people in public office across the country, beside the fact that most of the elections in which winners were declared have been overturned by the courts for various reasons.

The electoral umpire did not come alone. He had in tow the Resident Electoral Commissioners for Enugu , Anambra and Abia states during the visit to Ikemba at his Casa Bianca residence. The APGA leader had a closed door meeting with his visitors and the National Chairman of his party, Chief Victor Umeh, for a long time before journalists were invited to cover the aspect of the visit they wanted the public to know.

Iwu expressed his gratitude to Ojukwu for the roles he played in the run up to the Anambra State governorship election, particularly his call on the people to come out and exercise their civil obligations. He noted that this contributed in no small measure to the success of the election as it helped in dousing tension.

He said, ”The election turned out to be one of the best as it captured the people‘s intention and it was the first time losers would congratulate the winner.”

The INEC boss said he was on a working visit to Abia State to set up a National Voters Registry that would serve as a repository of voters‘ registers in the country which he said was important for democracy. The project located on Enugu-Umuahia Expressway, he added, had back -ups in Abeokuta and Jigawa.

Responding, Ojukwu said the commission had charted a new pattern which should be followed for the deepening of the nation‘s democracy. He said that he would support the INEC chairman for another term in office if he continued to conduct credible elections in the country.

The Ikemba who lauded Iwu for the ”peaceful, transparent and open” Anambra governorship election which he described as one of the freest elections ever held in the country also said Iwu could always count on his support if he continued in the pattern of the Anambra governorship election.

Ojukwu challenged those criticising the conduct of the election, saying they should do better if they were appointed as the head of the electoral commission. The APGA leader said he came into politics to protect and defend Igbo interest, stressing that he had no apologies about this, noting that he was not stopping others from protecting their tribal interests if they so wished.

Ojukwu said he was thanking the INEC Chairman on behalf of Ndigbo and urged him to accept the gratitude of his people for the credible election in Anambra State.

He said, ”One of the reasons I am making this little statement is that I want everybody living here to feel free and to claim the success of Ndigbo in conducting for the first time, the election which Mr. Chairman, you (Iwu) conducted in Anambra State. Accept the entire gratitude of the entire people of Anambra State.

”I understand there are a few voices now rising, saying, perhaps he didn‘t do this quite so well as the chairman. If I have to comment on that, let me say this, if you even gave to every voter in that Anambra election from your pocket say a N1,000 each, there will still be complaints after some time that you didn‘t ask for your wife‘s permission before spending your own money. I acknowledge the goodness of that election. If you continue like this, I will endorse you for re-appointment,” the former APGA presidential candidate submitted.

Umeh also lauded the commission, saying his party benefited from the credible conduct of the poll for the first time.

Journalists who were taken aback by Ojukwu‘s softened posture on Iwu pointedly asked the APGA leader if he was actually endorsing his visitor for another term in office, to which he responded tongue- in- cheek. ”Everybody knows that I am not afraid to stand on any position I take. I did not endorse Iwu for another term. What I said is that if he continues to conduct credible elections in the country, I will support him for another term.”

But analysts have already interpreted Iwu‘s move to be more than ordinary. By their calculation, they believe that the embattled electoral umpire was actually shopping for endorsement, in the light of the increasing protests against his second term bid.

Indeed, the new attitude of the APGA leader who had previously criticised the INEC chairman in various media interviews gave many the impressions that a potent deal might have been struck inside Casa Bianca home.

Iwu‘s visit had generated speculations that he might have struck a deal which would ensure that APGA adds more states to its checkboard in the coming polls, if the party throws its weight behind him for another term in office.

Political watchers, however, suspect that the Anambra election was not enough appeasement to the former Biafran warlord who in a fit of anger once described his visitor as ”Iwuruwuru” (electoral manipulator). They believe Nigerians could not have forgotten the high drama that characterised the nomination of Governor Peter Obi by APGA and Iwu‘s preference for Chief Chekwas Okorie‘s faction of the party and his insistence on recognising the candidate from this camp, until President Umaru Yar‘Adua‘s intervention.



The tussle over APGA chairmanship in the law court between Umeh and Okorie who had Iwu‘s total support was another sore point in the relationship between the two men which seems to have been conveniently put aside in the exigency of the moment and for political expediency.

Commenting on the development on Thursday, Okorie stated that Ojukwu‘s promise to endorse Iwu for another term in office was hypocritical, just as he expressed surprise at the electoral commission chief for seeking support from someone who he said filed a motion at the Election Appeal Tribunal in 2007 praying the court to try and jail the INEC boss and ban him from holding public office for life.

Okorie added, ”For Ojukwu to turn around and say he wants to endorse Iwu is hypocritical; it doesn‘t show the attributes of a good leader. Because of temporary benefits, you are now saying the man you wanted jailed should now be given a second term. I am surprised at Iwu for craving such endorsement.”

Okorie maintained that the INEC chairman did not deserve to spend a day longer in office, adding that he should be allowed to finish his tenure in June, after which he should quietly go home.

”Iwu doesn‘t deserve a second term. He should leave office at the end of his tenure. I don‘t think he should be disgraced out of office. Since he has about two months to leave, we might as well tolerate him; I don‘t think of a situation where he might stay a day longer.”

So as the drama unfolds, the citizenry look forward to seeing what the Federal Government will do – either to reappoint Iwu or to look the other way and bid him good bye from the leadership of the commission.
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