₦airaland Forum

Fixing Elections To January Is To Disenfranchise Igbos- Prof. Odinkalu

Human rights lawyer and Professor Chidi Odinkalu has argued that holding Nigeria’s elections on January 16 could unintentionally disenfranchise many voters and expose deep flaws in the country’s nation-building efforts.

Speaking on The Mic On Podcast, Odinkalu said scheduling the polls for January 16 because of the Ramadan calendar ignores the travel realities of many Nigerians, particularly Igbos who traditionally return to their hometowns during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“If you fix elections on January 16, you’re telling Igbos who go from where they live, ‘You must not come back,’ because if you do, you’re in trouble.”

According to him, many Igbo voters registered in cities such as Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and other parts of the country would still be in their hometowns after the festive season, making it unrealistic and unsafe to return solely to vote before travelling back again.

Odinkalu argued that shifting the elections to late January rather than mid-January would make a significant difference while still avoiding a clash with Ramadan, which is expected to begin around February 7 or 8 next year.

He added that the same challenge affects many Northerners living in Southern Nigeria, saying they also tend to remain in their home states until after the festive period.

The professor said the issue goes beyond election dates, describing it as a reflection of Nigeria’s unresolved questions of national identity, belonging and equal participation, stressing that electoral planning should accommodate the movement patterns of citizens rather than unintentionally excluding them.

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Very unfortunate odinkalu is now a content creator

I think the election should be rescheduled to October for the convenience of the Igbos. ☺️

End of Feb. is ok..not second week of January

Odinkalu is an Obidient and a known IPOB terrorists' sympathizer. Obidients are not rational people at all. It is not surprising because once they drink Obi's beer, they start rambling like the mad man at Upper Iweka

It's this victim mentality at all times, both the young and the old, the educated at the illiterates.

Something must be wrong somewhere.

The man is so delusional

See ehn, if you are not Igbo, you don't know what God has done for you.

See the kind of reasoning of this specimen.

Must u travel to the east?
Then vote in ur state

Is January now Ibo month ?

This excuse can not fly January 16 is a long time for any serious voter to use as excuse.

Excuses have started coming up for Obi's sure loss. i heard this excuses from some beer parlor jokers here earlier. Never knew an educated person would ever run with it. Indeed no brakes, no jam nosense.

He is right. Why change it from the usual Feb?

Matters after matters
Issues that matters don arise

That shouldn't be, don't give us any preference, we would cope and reschedule whatever we are doing at that time and be available to cast our votes....we aren't handicapped to be pitied......

omenka:
I think the election should be rescheduled to October for the convenience of the Igbos. ☺️

Okoyeeboz:
See ehn, if you are not Igbo, you don't know what God has done for you.

See the kind of reasoning of this specimen.

They should kukuma transfer their polling units back to the SE where it ought to be.

"A daydreamer will always find an excuse." - Psalm 162:3

yarimo:
Very unfortunate odinkalu is now a content creator

As in the werey dey case gan

This cry cry cultural group again.....
Must you people cry over everything
I listen to the man , and l shake my head.
Na only igbos dey travel go home for December.......
You guys better stop this self pity nonsense
Na the pity nonsense
OBI sef dey take campaign up and down
Nigeria don wise
We don pass all this pity nonsense rhetorics

yarimo:
Very unfortunate odinkalu is now a content creator

As in the werey dey case gan they want everything done for them

bigpicture001:
End of Feb. is ok..not second week of January

Why?

Is there a public holiday for a whole month of January ?

Public holiday ends on Jan 1st.

If you can't find transport to leave your village , how's that anybody's problem ?

Igbos always thinking as victims and they are the only good one.
They believe every tribe has something against them.
Kilode!!!

Them swear for you?

wonlasewonimi:
He is right. Why change it from the usual Feb?

And his reason sounds sensible to you abi?

you don't have INEC's contact?

wonlasewonimi:
He is right. Why change it from the usual Feb?

This will not affect only the Igbos... it's a general issue

So you people do not have cities in your region - Kaduna, Kano, Lagos? I pray the zonal bill that is being worked on scales through. Una go cry

omenka:
Fixing Elections To January Is To Disenfranchise Igbos- Prof. Odinkalu



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Bros, no offense. But any Igbo still in his hometown by January 16th, don use style relocate back to village. People have work to get back to, bills to pay and kids have school to return to. So that argument no hold water.

We give too many idiots a voice in this country. Is it only Igbos that travel during the festive season? Let's even assume that's the case, you can always transfer your pvc to your state if you know that's where you'll be during the election.

And this is supposed to be one of their sensible elders o... Damn!

You call this one professor. It's very unfortunate.