A former director-general of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Prof. Tonnie Iredia has described the June 12, 1993 annulled presidential election as a watershed and not only the best in the country’s electoral history.
According to the chancellor of the Tonnie Iredia, this was because all elections before it and after it had problems from 1959 to date.
Iredia, a former director of public affairs at the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) stated this while speaking at the Annual Lecture Series of the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC 90’s) with the theme, “The Legacy of Option A-4 and June 12 election,” held in Abuja on Wednesday.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be accountable, hence only credible election can bring good leaders, stressing that Nigeria needs strong institutions and not strong men.
“…Let’s proceed to what I would call the significance of June 12. I just have one simple significance, that June 12 was not only the best in the history of Nigeria. All elections before it had problems. All elections after it had problems.
“So it was a watershed. It’s very easy to know the difference. Before June 12, we had elections in 1959, 1964, 1979, 1983. All of them had problems. In 1959, political parties poured acid into the ballot boxes of the opponents.
“In societies where, especially, democracy is yet to be institutionalised, I believe that we all should be able to recognise the spirit behind the international consensus of commendation for Nigeria’s June 12, 1993, presidential election.
“What was special about June 12 was the calibre of the personnel of the electoral commission. There was unity of direction of late Prof Humphrey Nwosu. He told us that if elections are free and fair, we will all be given national honours by President Ibrahim Babangida.
“In our days, judiciary couldn’t stop elections, except where there is widespread irregularity. INEC itself should be accountable. Only credible elections can bring good leaders. Nigeria needs strong institutions, not strong men,” he said.
Iredia called for the adoption of Option A-4 in conducting party congresses and primaries and in places where elections have not been known to be credible.
“Option A-4 should be adopted in party congresses and in places where election have not been known to be credible. There are misconceptions about Option A-4. It’s not a system of voting, but an arrangement which made it possible for election results and winners to be known on the spot.
“We wait to announce declaration of results on the later. That’s why elections are rigged. Journalists should learn to report results of where it was collated.
“I have heard so many people talk about it that it was a system of voting, which is not correct.I think we all have to understand it. There were two systems of voting that we used in those days, open ballot and open secret.
CREDIT; LEADERSHIP NEWS