2015 ELECTION ; VOTE, DON'T FIGHT

The year 2015 is another face in the history of Nigeria politics, some are clamouring for change while some say its continuity.
We have experienced defection from one political party to the other. Nigeria has become the cynosure of all eyes, international communities are watching and campaigning on the need for peace to reign before and after election in February, 2015. 

The question to ask , is that how difficult it is to conduct election world over or it is just a Nigeria thing, some political leaders advised their followers to defend their votes with everything within their reach...........including VOODOO. God help us.

There is no need to protect your votes with voodoo , says Cremelawyer, it is recognised as the duty of a presiding officer, to keep order at his polling station and see that no person commits an offence by interfering with the voters when recording their votes. The removal of disruptive person is recognised and police could be used to maintain order. So the best we can do is going out to vote peacefully. 

The old established position with respect to returning officers duties was stated in the Bolton’s case  ,that is the general duty of a returning officer at elections to do all such acts and things may be necessary for effectually conducting the election in the manner provided by the election rules, He/She is on total number of votes cast in the federal taking into consideration that the entire nation is the presidential candidate’s constituency, election conducted in the breach of rules and mistakes affecting result would be vitiated, non- compliance affecting the majority of voters may be over looked if it does not affect votes sufficient to give another candidate a majority of the valid votes. CHIEF O AWOLOWO V. ALHAJI S. SHAGARI(2001) FWLR PT 73 ,53 @ 89 SC(1980) PL VOL. 1. 189

An act of thuggery and obstruction by candidates or their supporters constitutes non- compliance with the Electoral Act which may lead to cancellation of votes, therefore the only way you can protect your vote is to maintain decorum and not protect your votes with in a violent way or voodoo as preached by some politicians.

VOTE DON'T FIGHT. GOD BLESS NIGERIA

Thank you.

Oyenike Alliyu-Adebiyi LLB(hons) BL