Let me play the devil's advocate on why the Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections should be postponed to stave off rapid acceleration of community transmission of the coronavirus across the country. On this issue there is no global protocol that we can adopt.
However, available evidence shows that most countries who were faced with similar problem of conducting election during the pandemic decided what was best for them based on their understanding of the nature of the virus, the capacity of their public health infrastructure and their abilities to handle whatever consequences might arise from holding the election. In our situation, how we stand on those three indices does not look good at all, but it resonates with our fatalistic"not our portion mentality", when it comes to health matters.
Based on available statistics on the COVID-19 infection in the two states and the country generally, there is a high possibility that we might be putting the lives of the citizens and that of those that would go to the two states to conduct the elections at risk. Based on the fact that our testing capacity is grossly inadequate, the daily figures put out by NCDC does not refect the length and breadth of community transmission in the country. Therefore, the consequences of holding the two elections under such dangerous circumstances could better be imagined than to behold.
From my observation, during this period of emergency, it would seem like the MDAs are not interfacing with the PTF on COVID-19 on critical issues of national importance. This is because the activities of most MDAs would seem to be at variance with the PTF's major goal, which is flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. In this regard, the protocol released by INEC for the conduct of party primaries cum election speaks volume.
There is nothing in INEC's protocol on electioneering campaign and sanctions for political parties that do not adhere to the rules. There is also nothing on how those in isolation centers or self-isolation, who are not critically ill, can participate in the elections. Are they supposed to be disenfranchised for being infected? What about those who are asymptomatic? Would there be infrared to test voters' temperature at the polling units? There are so many issues that we need to sort out before we conduct election under the reign of Aunty Corona.
On that note, I would suggest that INEC evoke Section 26 of the 2016 Electoral Act, which states as follows:
"Where there has been appointed for the holding of Election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the election as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election, provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable "
That means at the expiration of the tenure of the Governors of Edo and Ondo States, their respective Speakers of the Houses of Assembly should be sworn in as acting governors in line with the Constitution. This is the most politically expedient thing to do, since we are at war with an invincible enemy, called COVID-19.
If INEC decides to postpone the elections after receiving sound scientific advice from experts in public health, law and politics, the two incumbent Governors would be worse off. Apart from vacating their offices, they would also be stripped of their immunities. However, this personal discomfort is nothing compared to goading hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens to the slaughter slap of COVID-19, should INEC neglects to do the needful.
*Felix Akpan PhD*
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