For the purpose of this exercise, the agency on which Maurice Iwu chairs is deliberately noted for what it is, the Electoral Commission. Without deceiving ourselves or allowing ourselves to continue to be taken for a ride, the Electoral Commission in Nigeria is neither independent nor national. It will therefore be conceding and dignifying so much to rate the agency any higher.

At least, under the leadership of Maurice Iwu. Anytime the man seems to be improving, something like a curse just descends from nowhere to spoil everything for him.
Who does Maurice Iwu think he is? This question or something near it will continue to arise on all his actions, utterances and their implications for him as chairman of the Electoral Commission. Already, he is notorious all over the world for his conduct of the 2007 elections and subsequent ones at governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly levels.

It was not without reason that Maurice Iwu’s Ghanaian counterpart, acclaimed all over the world, had to visit Nigeria recently to lecture us on how to conduct free and fair elections. Surely, the Ghanaian couldn’t have called at Maurice Iwu’s invitation because hardly had the man (Ghanaian) left than Maurice Iwu rubbished every process that won Ghana’s last four elections worldwide merit.

In contrast, Maurice Iwu is incorrigible and determined to continue rigging Nigeria’s future elections for his favourite candidates. More than that, he even wants to rig the process of conducting the elections.

Again, who does Maurice Iwu think he is? President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without the people’s mandate? Even if with hotly-disputed mandate, the only man recognized all over the world as President of Federal Republic of Nigeria is Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Obviously to mollify world criticism of the flawed nature of his mandate, President Yar’Adua not only promised electoral reforms but also at least, named the Uwais electoral reform body charged with the responsibility of making necessary recommendations for improving and opening up the conduct of future elections in the country.

As imperfect as the Uwais electoral reform committee might be, at least, some of the recommendations made were conceded by strong critics as monumental. On his part, while he had some reservations or indeed disagreements, President Yar’Adua did not reject all the recommendations. Even at that, Nigerians, especially politicians and journalists, still pressurize Umaru Yar’Adua to implement the Uwais report to the last word.

With his reputation as a non-controversial jurist and hardly a contributor to national arguments, Justice Uwais has joined the pressure on President Yar’Adua by re-clarifying the sensitive aspects of his committee’s recommendations, specifically the process of appointing a future chairman of the Electoral Commission and who should qualify – a retired high ranking judge.

On such recommendation, Maurice Iwu sees himself quite rightly out of job. But then, he should blame his reputation known all over the world – restlessness, political prejudice, intolerance of public criticism and personal incorrigibility – for his fall. On top of these, from all the elections he conducted so far, Maurice Iwu had always been the issue.

Never in electoral Commissions in Nigeria was the leadership engrossed in public hostility. Faced with the threat of loss of job, Maurice Iwu has been fighting back with foul punches. According to him, of the processes leading to conduct peaceful conduct of elections and easy change of government in Ghana would not work in Nigeria. So, rigging must continue.

If Maurice Iwu is not defending the PDP as the only serious party in Nigeria, he must be busy rebelling against any attempt to reform conduct of elections in Nigeria. For Maurice Iwu, it is not his concern as responsible citizens including former heads of states, dreadfully alarming, as on the risks of truncating democracy in Nigeria.
As a Nigerian and especially under the constitution, Maurice Iwu has the right to hold an opinion but such right does not exceed that of a judge presiding over a dispute or competition. Whatever his interests or biases must not be openly displayed. What are even irritating are Maurice Iwu’s language and countenance as an umpire in hotly contested national elections.

And easily, the man is predictable. When he speaks, in addition to running down opposition parties, all Maurice Iwu demands are more powers of life and in anything concerning conduct of elections, and nothing should detract from his current powers. The man sees himself as INEC, and in return, INEC as Maurice Iwu. This is despite the final ruling of Supreme Court, the highest law court in the land on the total prerogative of only law courts to disqualify any candidate from contesting elections.

When the Uwais Committee recommended independent candidacy for any willing contestant in future elections, there was nothing peculiar to Nigeria or special favour to discredit the conduct of such elections. Uwais Committee was just upholding our individual rights already in the constitution – the right to associate and consequently the right to refuse to associate, the right to hold political views even if different from anybody’s and the right not to be discriminated against, etc.
Hence, President Yar’Adua accepted that recommendation of the Uwais electoral panel. This week, Maurice Iwu responded in a way portraying anybody welcoming independent candidacy as a nitwit. The picture he portrayed is that of an oncoming Armageddon. The huge costs, the volume of documentation in terms of ballot papers, the number of candidates etc.

Does Maurice Iwu realize that inadvertently, he is confessing himself as incapable of heading INEC in that situation? How many such independent candidates can emerge compared to India and Pakistan each with population of more than double Nigeria’s? whatever the cost, is the money coming from Maurice Iwu’s pocket?
Who made independent candidacy in Nigerian elections imperative? Maurice Iwu, solely from the way he conducted the 2007 elections in which he took sides in any nomination dispute in any of the political parties. Once Maurice Iwu did not like your face, that was it, as he would concoct one reason or the other to achieve his favour for the other candidate.

And even when law courts decided in favour of the disqualified candidates, Maurice Iwu, drunk with power sustained such disqualification. River State was a vivid example. But for the fact that (the then) candidate Rotimi Amaechi fought his case to the Supreme Court, Maurice Iwu would have had his way. On the other hand, if independent candidacy had existed, Amaechi could have contested to test his popularity. It must of course be conceded that Maurice Iwu, (even if Rotimi Amaechi won the governorship race as an independent) would have concocted non-existing voting figures to rob Amaechi of victory.
Maurice Iwu did just that in Bayelsa where, as decided by the election petition Appeal Tribunal, election never took place and yet, Iwu announced figures.
Despite the alarm being raised by Maurice Iwu against independent candidacy, our history is that in the First Republic, independent candidates contested elections at every level.

If the same Federal Government which appointed Maurice Iwu chairman of the Electoral Commission now decides to allow candidates to contest as independents as obtains in the democratic world, who is Maurice Iwu to be raising objections as if the Nigerian federation is his personal fiefdom? Once he disagrees with government and millions of Nigerians on this fundamental electoral issue, the only option for Maurice Iwu is to shut his mouth or resign in protest and will be so respected.
In 2007, the Nigerian Supreme Court ruled that Maurice Iwu’s Electoral Commission had no constitutional/legal power to disqualify any candidate and so, former Vice President Atiku contested the presidential elections. At another public forum recently, Maurice Iwu demanded that his unconstitutional power to disqualify his pet hates should be restored.

Again, who the heck does Maurice Iwu think he is to be invested with powers deliberately separated and reserved under Nigerian constitution for the judiciary? Who gave him the mandate to become the fourth arm of our government? Instead, Maurice Iwu should resign as chairman of Electoral Commission, seek the people’s mandate in a presidential election, amend the constitution accordingly to empower his successor (as Electoral Commission Chairman) to disqualify candidates.
Does Maurice Iwu realize the implication of his demand for power to convict without trial and disqualify any candidate he so desires? To be conferred with constitutional powers equal with the most powerful arm of government? In the discharge of their duties, whatever Aso Rock and National Assembly decides can be valid only and only when upheld by the judiciary as justifiable.

Maurice Iwu is now also trying to pull wool over our eyes because he is clever and we are dunces. Hear him: The Electoral Commission so swiftly has complied with the order of an Enugu High Court distancing Charles Soludo, at least for now, from parading himself as the next PDP governorship candidate for Anambra State.
With Maurice Iwu’s record of disregard for and indeed, disobedience of law courts, when did he become a born again to now obey a court order? By the way, he has no choice but not because he is law-abiding as we are being told. If Maurice Iwu conveniently abides by Enugu Court Order not to recognise Charles Soludo as a candidate for now, why is the same Maurice Iwu challenging a Supreme Court order that an Electoral Commissioner cannot and must not be empowered to disqualify a candidate in an election? (Atiku verses INEC)

Instead, Maurice Iwu wants President Umaru Yar’Adua to join him in defying a Supreme Court order on the disqualification of candidates willing to contest elections. Except that yielding to Maurice Iwu on this issue is inconceivably, otherwise, Umaru Yar’Adua can proceed and empower Maurice Iwu to disqualify candidates. The same Yar’Adua will be shocked to discover later that Maurice Iwu’s major benefactor will instigate Yar’Adua’s disqualification in any future elections.
More than that, Maurice Iwu is not such a law-abiding public official to obey an Enugu Court Order. Instead, the man is pursuing his vested interests in the current Anambra PDP crisis. Behind Maurice Iwu’s claim of being law-abiding is the protection and promotion of his benefactor’s (Andy Uba) desire, legitimately to be come the next governor of Anambra State. Andy Uba will lose out to Charles Soludo’s imposition as PDP candidate.

As this is being written, Charles Soludo’s father was reported to have been kidnapped and was yet to be released. Ex-Central Bank Governor Soludo himself by now should reflect on the unnecessary controversy his person has been generating for the past few months. For five years, Charles Soludo paraded the world as Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor. His reluctant exit from the bank caused much controversy.

Following that, his recent entry into the dirty and ruinous Anambra politics further generated controversy. At least, so was the procedure of picking him as the PDP candidate as a governor of Anambra State next year. In any sane society, perhaps without the row on the procedure of his selection, governorship candidate Charles Soludo would have been a blessing for his state. At least, Charles Soludo is not a thug, a tout, or a drug dealer.
Unfortunately, such blessing seems not to be for Anambra. Instead of being democralised, Soludo should see a fine example in one of his distinguished predecessors as Central Bank governor, Paul Ogwuma, who, partly for health reasons, after his exit at the bank, retired quietly to his village. Is Soludo too young to emulate Paul Ogwuma?

Then the same Charles Soludo should not be too ambitious if not callous to endanger his father’s life in Nigerian politics. Oh yes, the kidnap of Charles Soludo’s father is a clear case of criminal intimidation. If anything, in such circumstances, no love can be too much for a son to show in return for his father’s safety.
Charles Soludo should consider leaving Anambra to experience an alternative. When your candidacy is valued, they will come for you.