Opposition Party’s Fears of Electoral Manipulation Overstated

In a recent development, former presidential aide Okoi Obono-Obla has spoken out against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) reaction to the appointment of new members to the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC). The PDP had criticized the appointment, claiming that most of the appointees were members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to Obono-Obla, the PDP’s concerns are unfounded and “misplaced and balderdash.” He points out that there is no provision in the CROSIEC Law prohibiting the appointment of a member of a political party to the board. Obono-Obla argues that the only qualification for appointment to the board is specified in sections 106 and 107 of the Constitution, which includes membership of a political party.

Obono-Obla went on to explain that if the framers of the 1999 Constitution intended to exclude members of political parties from serving on the CROSIEC board, they would have included a bar in the relevant section of the constitution. Since this bar does not exist, Obono-Obla concludes that the PDP is “importing” what the constitution did not contemplate.

The CROSIEC appointments were made by Governor Bassey Otu, who has been criticized by the PDP for trying to manipulate the upcoming local government council election. Obono-Obla believes that the PDP’s reaction is motivated by a desire to discredit the electoral commission and prevent the APC from achieving a strong showing in the upcoming election.

Despite the PDP’s concerns, Obono-Obla remains confident that the CROSIEC appointments are constitutional and transparent. The matter is likely to be a subject of controversy in the lead-up to the election, with both parties dug in and refusing to back down.