THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION SAYS NO INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

INEC CHAIRMAN, MAURICE IWU BELIEVES THAT THE NATURE OF THE NIGERIAN BALLOT PAPERS DOES NOT GIVE ANY ROOM FOR INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY.

THOUGH, HE AGREES THAT INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY WILL OPEN POLITICAL SPACES FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE NOT ACCOMMODATED BY ANY OF THE ESTABLISHED POLITICAL PARTIES, IWU SAYS NIGERIANS SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN.

THE ELECTORAL CHIEF SAYS THSOE WHO WARE SEEKING ELECTIVE POSTS MUST HAVE ENOUGH GENUINE INCOME TO FALL BACK ON IN CASE THEY ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL @ THE POLLS