THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Tuesday that time was no longer on its side as regards preparations for the 2011 general election.
INEC’s Acting chairman, Mr. Solomon Shoyebi, who stated this while speaking at a public hearing in respect of the new electoral act, said that though the proposed amendments were desirable, the new law would further constrain the commission.
He said that the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act would further constrain the time available for preparations for the commission, adding that time may not be enough for it to adequately prepare for the 2010 election.
“Our greatest enemy is time,” Shoyebi said, adding that though the proposed reviews to the constitution and the Electoral Act would be in the best interest of the nation, it would further expose the commission to time constraint.
The Acting INEC chairman stated this against the backdrop of the changes in the date of election, as contained in the constitution amendment and the change to the electoral act which guarantees that elections are to be held not later than 90 days before swearing-in as opposed to the 30 days guaranteed in the earlier law.
Shoyebi also disclosed that the Commission will soon register three more political parties to bring the number to 60.
The Acting INEC chairman slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for being the worst culprit of lack of internal democracy in the parties.
He decried the situation in the PDP where the president and state governors continue to act as leaders of the party, saying that such an act relegates the national or state chairmen of the party.
He also asked that the new electoral law should empower INEC to sanction political parties which violate their own constitution and the rules as provided in the electoral act.
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