By: Ben Ukeji
Former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Professor Tony Iredia has described Governors elected on a platform of a particular political party but choose to defect to another, just as the marauding herdsman who moves about destroying farmers’ crops, yet claims to have the right of movement.
Iredia who spoke at the median Annual Lecture Series of the National Association of Political Correspondents, NAPOC, yesterday at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Center, Abuja, said Governors might be free to move to other parties other than the ones which were elected, but must not move with the votes of the people casted in favor of a political party.
He insisted that it was improper for herdsmen to move about and destroy crops in the name of the right of free movement, just as the governors are free to move to other parties, but not with the votes of the people and the former party.
Speaking on the Lecture, entitled; The Legacy of Option A-4 and June 12 Election, Iredia said, June 12 remains the best election ever in the history of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
He, therefore, urged all political parties in the country to adopt option A-4 in the conduct of party primaries and congresses.
He said the adoption of the option A-4 by the political parties with strengthen internal democracy within the political parties and eliminate unhealthy practices during party primaries.
Iredia, who is also a Professor of Communication, stated that the June 12 election was not only the best, but a watershed in the electoral conduct in Nigeria.
According to him, before the June 12 election, previous elections in the country had problems. Sighting the examples of 1959, 1964, 1979, and 1983 among others.
He noted that people have lots of misconceptions about Option A-4, saying that the model encompasses both open and secret ballot systems.
The ex-boss of the National Orientation Agency explained that Option A-4 made election results known on the spot and improved grassroots involvement, which was lacking in past elections.
He challenged journalists to stop waiting for results to be declared by the electoral body, insisting that journalists have the responsibility to announce the results of an election.
“There is a difference between announcing the result and the declaration of the result,” He said.
Iredia condemned members of the National Assembly who opposed the conferment of a posthumous National honour on Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the then Chairman, National Electoral Commission, NEC.
He insisted that Nwosu demonstrated incredible courage by announcing some of the results when all odds were against him.
He revealed that those opposed to the declaration of Moshood Abiola as President had issued a warrant of arrest on Nwosu and other officials.
He also disclosed that the NEC had been suspended, making it impossible for Nwosu to go ahead with the announcement of the remaining results.
In his remarks at the occasion, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, former governor of Imo State, said it’s not too late to honour Professor Nwosu for his courage and service to Nigeria’s democracy.
According to him, a day will come when the whole nation will stand still for the late NEC Chairman.
The former lawmaker commended NAPOC for organizing the event and assured of his continued support for the body.
Also speaking, former Minister of Information, Mr.Labaran Maku, described the annulment of the June 12 election as a sad National story.
He explained that the military had designed the transition program to fail to perpetuate itself in power.
The annulment of the June 12 election was the third annulment of a democratic process by the then-military junta.
On his part, former presidential spokesman, Graba, Shehu, said the late winner of the June 12 election, Moshood Abiola, was a media mogul who indeed was a friend of the media practitioners who supported Journalists with his resources.
He described the death of Abiola as the loss of a Superman. The military hierarchy, under the command and control of ex-military President General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the June 12 election, believed to have been won by Abiola.