Aluko: 16 Minimal Ways to Combat Rigging in 2007 April 26, 2007

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16 MINIMAL WAYS TO COMBAT RIGGING IN 2007

 

By

 

Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD

alukome@gmail.com

 

 

Most Recent Update:  Revised February 22, 2007

 

 

Introduction

 

In this election season where many candidates are canvassing for votes and campaigning in all parts of their respective national or sub-national constituencies, many of them are witnessing large crowds of so-called “teeming supporters”.   The tendency is to believe that such large crowds portend victory at the polls.

 

Not true.  The crowds do NOT necessarily translate to electoral victory – for example, many in the “crowd” may just be curious onlookers, with a few seeking a few “free” hundred naira or two from the candidates or careless other onlookers; or  they may not even be registered voters,  or if registered, they may not become actual voters on election day. 

 

More pertinent however, particularly for the opposition to the ruling party, is the following key question:    How do we prevent rigging in the forthcoming elections, knowing fully well that this ruling party the PDP will pull all stops to rig again in the April 2007 polls, in what its “leader”, President Obasanjo, has termed a “do-or-die” affair?

 

Let us consider the following steps –or Anti-Rigging Action Items:

 

 

A.  Pre-Election Day

 

1.  Ensure that as MANY of the party’s or candidates’ supporters as possible REGISTER to vote (VOTER MOBILIZATION).

 

2. Ensure that INEC PUBLISHES the names of all registered voters, by state, local government and ward in sufficient time BEFORE the polls as required by the Electoral Law 2006 – and as promised by INEC -  and ENSURE that supporters check that their names are on the register, and that they complain if they do not find their names.  The party should be prepared to use the courts on their behalf to force INEC to adhere to deadlines. (VOTER AWARENESS)

 

3.  Ensure that INEC publishes the LOCATIONS of all the polling stations ahead of time, and that party members know these locations. (VOTER EDUCATION)

 

4.  Ensure that we have on file the party's POLLING AGENTS and POLLING AGENT ASSISTANT - their names, pictures and IN PARTICULAR signatures.  [AGENT AUTHENTICATION]  Note that we should have 2 people per polling station. [However, there is danger in the recent announcement by INEC that in the forthcoming elections, agents’ names must be given to it by political parties TWO WEEKS ahead of time.  These are the dangers of agents’ intimidation and/or buy-off of these agents.]

 

5.  Purchase as many DIGITAL still cameras AND cell phones as possible, and give one each to each POLLING AGENT and each POLLING AGENT ASSISTANT.   Each of the polling stations should be PHOTOGRAPHED by each polling agent on the day BEFORE the election and filed as part of PARTY and/or CANDIDATE'S database [STILL PICTURE EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION]

 

6.  Purchase VIDEO CAMERAS and designate one or more CAMERAMEN per ward or per local government depending on the size of these territories. [MOVING PICTURE EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION]

 

7.  Within 48-96 hours of Election Day, a BLANKET information blitz on voter education and vote protection steps should be carried out [VOTER EDUCATION].  Organize massive rallies of supporters warning of dire consequences if election results that are not in consonance with the popular will are announced.

 

8.  Any electoral law instituting CURFEW on Election Day - often with the excuse that it reduces multiple voting -   should be VIGOROUSLY rejected.    Curfews constantly have been used as a recipe for disabling the possibility of monitoring of the electoral process by as many people as possible. In any case, according to INEC, the electronic register being used for the April 2007 should eliminate the possibility of multiple voting, so the need for curfew to prevent that need not arise.  Instead of a curfew, a reasonable number of people - say 50 - may be specified to be allowed within 100 meters of polling station, who can be periodically replaced by others who may also wish to monitor.  Anybody should be allowed to be within 200 meters of any polling booths.  [VOTING PROCESS VOTER-AUTHENTICATION]

 

 

B:  On Election Day:

 

 

9.  Remember to ensure that no illegal CURFEW is imposed anywhere on this day.   This is ESSENTIAL, and crucial for vote protection.

 

10.  Ensure that each polling agent and his/her assistant is in place at each polling station [contact them by phone], and that they take still and/or video  time- and date-stamped digital pictures each of the polling station BEFORE voting begins, and at 15 or 30 minutes intervals THROUGHOUT the 8-hour voting period [This is a maximum of 40 still pictures.]  Pictures of official INEC personnel on duty MUST be part of their time-stamped pictures. [VOTING PROCESS DOCUMENTATION], and the names of such INEC officials should be part of the official records (audio and pictures.)

 

11.  Ensure that the polling agent and his assistant (and maybe a watchful third person reasonably AWAY from the polling unit) have a good estimate of the number of people who actually voted in each polling booth.

 

12. Ensure that the video cameraman is mobile enough to be able to roam among the polling stations to take time-stamped videos. [VOTING PROCESS DOCUMENTATION]

 

13.  Ensure that, as allowed by the Electoral law, people are present when results are announced and displayed on BOARDS.  Audio recorders should be used to tape the announcements, and digital cameras should be used to take pictures of these result boards as part of the party's records.  [VOTING PROCESS DOCUMENTATION]

 

14.  Ensure that the party's polling agents RELAY (most preferably automatically) by cell phone the results’ information, and if possible, the digital picture of the result display board [VOTE COMMUNICATION] to some central results’ compiling offices.

 

 

C:  Post-Election Day:

 

15.  As soon as possible, ensure that there is great coordination between the party-designated central offices compiling all the results that are coming in - particularly the results’ display boards.  [VOTING RESULTS COMPILATION]

 

16.  Ensure that we have rapid disclaimer teams in place in case any OFFICIAL results negate what has been compiled, or are bloated beyond the number of voters [RAPID ANTI-RIGGING INFORMATION DEPLOYMENT.]  Every supporter who was not allowed to vote in any manner should have a sworn deposition taken.

 

 

D. Epilogue

 

The above steps are the ONLY minimal number of ways that this writer can conceive of by which the PDP will be countered not to rig the forthcoming elections, and that if they rig, there will be SUFFICIENT evidence that can be placed before the courts of our land to counter the attempt.  What gives some level of confidence is that our courts have so far shown an unmatchable level of integrity if confronted with the correct facts.

 

All the above will cost money no doubt - but there may be ways to reduce the cost e.g. a selected set of polling stations is monitored,  a coalition of opposing political parties working together, etc.   However, if the opposition is not willing to raise the kind of money needed to see that the steps outlined above are carried out, then it might as well forget having any respectable or winning showing in the forthcoming elections.

 

Some of the above steps – including some of the needed purchases – should be commenced right away.

 

The case is hereby rested.

 

 

Dr. Mobolaji E. Aluko, is professor of Chemical Engineering at Howard University in Washington DC, and is president of the US-based Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM).   He is a frequently-sought commentator on Nigerian and African socio-political and educational affairs.  He can be reached on alukome@gmail.com .  His website is www.nigerianmuse.com

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