The growing culture whereby the Nigerian governors and other top political leaders abandon their states and official duties and converge on other states where off-cycle governorship elections are being held should be outlawed in future amendment of the Electoral Act, as it threatens Nigeria’s fragile democracy, Ejiofor Alike reports
Nigerian governors, principal officers of the National Assembly, ministers and other political appointees have developed a notorious culture of abandoning their states and official duties and invading other states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting off-cycle governorship elections.
On the surface, the presence of governors in states holding governorship elections is to show solidarity with their colleague-governor, and mobilise support for the candidate of their political party.
But the real motive for the unusual presence of these political leaders is simply to mount pressure on INEC officials and security agents and explore opportunities to manipulate the people’s will in favour of their political party.
They normally embark on this anti-democratic mission several weeks ahead of the election by setting up national campaign councils made up of governors and other political leaders from the different parts of the country.
