Iwu & Afari Gyan: Between Ghana & Nigeria Elections. Salmon Salami, Mar 29 2010 10:24am

I do not drink wine. But those who do have told me that wine matures with age. I still need to speak with my former teacher (in Ife) on this, since I was made to understand that he relishes cognac. And despite this he remains a master of its art.

It is so important and central to the mastery of any trade or vocation that rational human beings go for people with experience. Even in job placement or vacancy. Hardly will one see a vacancy for appointment (at least serious and competitive one) without mention of so – so – so year of experience. It is that serious and desirable. And it is more so, on issues of election and related matter.

Kwadwo Afari Gyan, the chairman of Ghana Electoral Commission has been in the saddle in the last 18 years. He conducted many disputed elections in Ghana. Despite the fact that many Ghanaians were dissatisfied with the conduct of many elections, they did not ask for the head of Gyan.

Unknown to many of those especially in Nigeria who wax lyrical on the successes of elections in Ghana the fact that Chairman of Ghan’s Electoral Commission has been in the saddle for eighteen years makes a difference.

Actually,the peculiar nature of the people of Ghana, and the political environment of it, coupled with the mind set, the temperament of the political class, and the desire of Ghanaians to invest in and sustain the. spirit and culture of intellectual inquiry Ghanaians persevered,kept faith with their electoral commission and its leadership.Today, they are perceived to have done better and they are reaping the fruits of democratic dividends. The reason for their releativwe success is simple;they nurtured the process of democracy with patience and decorum and the interest of no individuals was made to be more than that of Ghana.

It is sad to note that Nigerians lack this spirit and culture of intellectual inquiry these days. We are rather quick to condemn. We are quick to abandon just as we are impatient to go the whole hog in our bid to find lasting solution to our problems. We prefer the quick fix, which is no fix, approach.

Nigerians, a peculiar people with equally peculiar problems are always unwilling to allow the first eleven to take charge. We always prefer the back benchers. And unfortunately for the country, especially the political class, if truly there is one, they have not helped matters. We prefer to condemn than to proffer solutions to o9ur problem.

How,for instance can anyone still believe in the theory of mono causality. Or, how else can one explain the banal argument that the beginning of any electoral reform should be the removal of Prof.Maurice Iwu? This is nothing but plain pettiness and envy.

One agrees that Iwu’s critics have the fundamental and constitutional rights to free speech, as regards their crusade for Iwu’s ouster from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But more than this how will Iwu’s exit automatically translate into a conduct of free, fair, credible and transparent election in an environment where the forces opposed to free elements are always on the rampage? How can any one call for a change in the management of the electoral process especially at this crucial stage of our democratic endeavour?

It may be convenient for many people to pretend today, but many factors are responsible for the problems that have always bedeviled Nigeria’s effort at conducting free, fair, credible and transparent election.
Such problems have been amply described as being institutional, internal, external and, to some extent, cultural. It includes the weak state of political parties and their lack of internal democracy, the poor method of selecting candidates, the troubled mind set of Nigerians about elections, gender inequality and, lack of true independence of INEC. These and many more are the issues that should engage the minds of the patriotic and discerning Nigerians. Our minds and attention should be focused on how to overcome all these outlined impediments rather than singling out one man and vilifying him. Denigrating Iwu, rather than doing hard – headed thinking with a view to strengthening our institutions is just a wild wind that blows no one any good.

Unlike any chairman before him, Iwu has indeed repositioned INEC,introduced several reforms and such that the institution is able and ready to deliver to Nigerians, a free, fair and credible election.

Several workshops, seminars, symposia and sensitization campaigns have been held in various parts of the country where election was the subject of discussion. His efforts have produced a reform agenda that INEC is currently pursuing. The reforms are meant to make the commission more proactive, transparent and efficient in its handling of elections. Already the results are showing, as in the Anambra state governorship election on February 6, 2010.From all indications, the 2011 elections and future elections, would benefit tremendously from the reforms Iwu has introduced in the electoral process.

Despite all his achievements and strivings, the professional critics and “never do gooders “would stop at nothing to get Iwu out of INEC. But for whose purpose are they doing all this?
If they could pooh, pooh the Anambra election which the now informed international Community described as satisfactory, the vocal minority claiming to have the monopoly of idea as to how to conduct election in Nigeria are, indeed, a desperate and unpatriotic lot.

Nigerians have a duty not to allow the group of implacable critics and self serving activists to plunge the country into another avoidable political crisis.
Iwu, to the chagrin of the unrepentant prophets of doom, conducted a free, fair and credible election on Anambra State because he has continuously researched into the problems bedeviling our electoral growth, and in the process, mastered them.

Unknown to many, especially the arm chair critics, the resounding success recorded in Anambra State and indeed during the numerous bye – elections conducted by INEC was a product of adaptive management style of Professor  Maurice Iwu-led INEC.Let he truth be told,Prof.Iwu is a visionary leader and a man of immense patriotic zeal. As at today, Iwu is the best hand in the land to man the electoral process.

His experience, dexterity, ruggedness and intelligence count and should not be discarded by the nation because of the interest of a few.

The National Assembly and the Acting President should extend Iwu’s tenure and allow him improve on what he has been doing.

The 2011 general elections are too close for a novice to conduct

Experience has no substitute. It is here that Iwu comes in. It is in the best interest of our country to extend his tenure.



•Salmon Salami, a media consultant, practices and lives in Abuja.

I strongly believe that Prof Iwu will perform better than any novice that might be appointed to replace him. Iwu has accumulated the experience that would help him in conducting the up coming 2011 general elections;at least the just concluded Anambra elections was above average.