Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ABUJA629
2007-03-30 15:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
COULD CANDIDATE'S DEATH DELAY ELECTIONS?
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000629
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: COULD CANDIDATE'S DEATH DELAY ELECTIONS?
REF: ABUJA 492
Classified By: Political Counselor Russell J. Hanks for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000629
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: COULD CANDIDATE'S DEATH DELAY ELECTIONS?
REF: ABUJA 492
Classified By: Political Counselor Russell J. Hanks for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
1. (C) The March 29 death of Alliance for Democracy (AD)
presidential candidate Chief Adebayo Adefarati raised serious
legal and constitutional questions relating to the timing of
the April 21 presidential elections. INEC's Director of
Public Affairs made statements on March 29 that the death
would not delay the April 21 elections. This runs contrary,
however, to INEC Chairman Iwu's statement on March 8 to
Chiefs of Mission (Ref. A) indicating that the Electoral Act
requires a delay in the event of a candidate's death. AD
leaders are meeting in Abuja on March 30 to decide whether to
adopt a replacement candidate.
2. (SBU) Section 37 of the Nigerian Electoral Law says that
"if after the time for the delivery of nomination papers and
before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate
dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or the
Resident Electoral Commissioner shall, being satisfied of the
fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased
candidate was to participate and the Commission shall appoint
some other convenient date for the elections." Article
132(2) of the Constitution, however, requires that the
elections be held no later than 30 days prior to the
expiration of the term of office -- April 29 for a May 29 end
to Obasanjo's term.
3. (C) COMMENT. It is not clear, as of March 30, whether the
AD will put forward a replacement candidate. Nor is it clear
whether INEC Chairman Iwu will follow the letter of the
Electoral Law in delaying the presidential elections. A
decision to extend the elections beyond April 29 would likely
be met by court cases challenging the constitutionality of
the relevent section of the Electoral Law. If a decision is
made to delay the elections, we may be left with a situation
where the only constitutional, democratic alternative is an
interim government run by Senate President Ken Nnamani, at
least for the two weeks remaining in his term. END COMMENT.
CAMPBELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: COULD CANDIDATE'S DEATH DELAY ELECTIONS?
REF: ABUJA 492
Classified By: Political Counselor Russell J. Hanks for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
1. (C) The March 29 death of Alliance for Democracy (AD)
presidential candidate Chief Adebayo Adefarati raised serious
legal and constitutional questions relating to the timing of
the April 21 presidential elections. INEC's Director of
Public Affairs made statements on March 29 that the death
would not delay the April 21 elections. This runs contrary,
however, to INEC Chairman Iwu's statement on March 8 to
Chiefs of Mission (Ref. A) indicating that the Electoral Act
requires a delay in the event of a candidate's death. AD
leaders are meeting in Abuja on March 30 to decide whether to
adopt a replacement candidate.
2. (SBU) Section 37 of the Nigerian Electoral Law says that
"if after the time for the delivery of nomination papers and
before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate
dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or the
Resident Electoral Commissioner shall, being satisfied of the
fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased
candidate was to participate and the Commission shall appoint
some other convenient date for the elections." Article
132(2) of the Constitution, however, requires that the
elections be held no later than 30 days prior to the
expiration of the term of office -- April 29 for a May 29 end
to Obasanjo's term.
3. (C) COMMENT. It is not clear, as of March 30, whether the
AD will put forward a replacement candidate. Nor is it clear
whether INEC Chairman Iwu will follow the letter of the
Electoral Law in delaying the presidential elections. A
decision to extend the elections beyond April 29 would likely
be met by court cases challenging the constitutionality of
the relevent section of the Electoral Law. If a decision is
made to delay the elections, we may be left with a situation
where the only constitutional, democratic alternative is an
interim government run by Senate President Ken Nnamani, at
least for the two weeks remaining in his term. END COMMENT.
CAMPBELL