Adefarati's death: Nigerian polls may be postponed - BBC

The Alliance for Democracy's Adebayo Adeferati - seen as an outside - was 79 years old and a former state governor.

According to Nigeria's electoral act, elections are to be delayed "until a convenient date" if a candidate dies after nomination papers are delivered.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, who steps down after two terms, paid tribute, saying he had been "a worthy opponent".

Mr Adeferati has been sick and died in hospital in Ondo State in wouth-west Nigeria.

He was governor there from 1999 to 2003, but lost a re-election bid in the April 2003 elections.

{mosgoogle}He was then nominated by his party as presidential candidate for Nigeria's forthcoming elections.

Section 37 (1) of Nigeria's Electoral Act 2006 states that: "If after the time for the delivery of nomination paper 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 election."

The ruling party suspended their ongoing presidential campaign rally in the centre of the capital, Abuja, to observe a minute's silence.

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 29.03.2007 12:16 dele26  Villager  # 2 "President Olusegun Obasanjo, who steps down after two terms, paid tribute, saying he had been "a worthy opponent". Na when person die them go dey sing him praise. Aremu if Adefarati be worthy opponent did you acknowledge this quality before e die? I beg make we hear word o jare ........ leave the man make im rest in peace Posted by dele26| 29.03.2007 12:30 Mikky jaga  Villager  # 3 It is a pity the man died. Unfortunately, many do not know when to call it quits. Like Aremu, they want to go on and on. There is no way the April fools polls could have held anyway. INEC was just not ready, and the series of yet to be decided litigations are bound to see to that. I hope the death of this patriach is a befitting proverb to OBJ that he is living on borrowed time. May his soul rest in peace.:sad: Posted by Mikky jaga| 29.03.2007 12:41 Agbejoro  JJC  # 4 Sad, at this time in the unfolding political dispensation/future of a country we love so dearly. Trust my country people: someone may soon write on this our village that “OBJ allowed and/or engineered Adefarati to be fielded by AD, being a Yoruba man, so that he (Adefarati) may ‘die’ before the election so that he (President Aremu Okikiolu Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo) may have justifications for postponing the elections, and by implications his “long-dreamed elongation in office”. Naija people!!! I’ll be pleasantly surprised not to read stuffs like that. But until then, may the good Lord grant him (Adefarati) deserving eternal rest in HIS bosom. Posted by Agbejoro| 29.03.2007 12:45 ikechiji  Villager  # 5 I am sure OBJ's lawyers are busy trying to figure out how to extend his tenure with their lackey Ewu Iwu. OBJ, however, cannot be President for one second past the time he took his oath on May 29, 2003. The constitution is very clear: (2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date, when - (a) in the case of a person first elected as President under this Constitution, he took the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office; INEC can postpone elections as per Electoral Act but they still have a deadline given by the Constitution: 132. (1) An election to the office of President shall be held on a date to be appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission. (2) An election to the said office shall be held on a date not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office. They can postpone it to April 29 if they want but that is all they can do. The Electoral Act cannot override the Constititution. Odego Posted by ikechiji| 29.03.2007 13:10 George07x  JJC  # 6 The Greatest Dishonour That Would Be Done To The Memory Of Adefarati Is For The Election To Be Postponed. I Have A Lot Of Respect For The Late Politician But Had Wondered All Along Why He Is In The Presidential Race Knowing Fully Well That He Has The Slimmest Of Chances. The Odds Against Him Were Simply Enormous; First, His Advanced Age, The Impropriety Of A Yoruba Man Succeeding Obj, The Weak Ad Platform, His Limited Resources And Reach. I Wondered Who Pushed The Old Man To Toil Himself To Death. Anyway, May His Soul Find A Deserved Rest. But Elections Must Hold!! Posted by George07x| 29.03.2007 13:13 olusola  Villager  # 7 I hope Chief Adefarati finds peace and eternal rest . I hope the Senate will call of it's recess in order to deliberate on key national issues. Posted by olusola| 29.03.2007 13:22 DoubleWahala  Villager  # 8 It is considered unafrican and a taboo to speak ill of the dead. However, one question gnaws my mind: why on earth should a 76 year old diabetic decide to compete in, and face the rigours of an election contest, particularly of the Nigerian variety? At 76, if you've lived right, your role should be more of an advisory one than anything else. How can you decide to 'descend into the arena' at that age, and in failing health? I dont think I will ever understand Nigerian politicians. May his soul rest in peace. DW Posted by DoubleWahala| 29.03.2007 13:28 tatafo  Villager  # 9 Sorry maybe because I'm not a lawyer so I don't understand, but in a country that practices multi party elections, why would elections be postponed if a candidate dies? Are we electing the individual or the party? Is the reason to allow the party more time to throw up a new candidate to replace the deceased? And to campaign for the new candidate? If that's the case what stops OBJ from killing opponents so that the elections will keep getting postponed? Who drafted this provision in the constituion self and what is the rationale behind it? Here in the US no one postpones an election because a candidate has died. Infact I remember a few elections were a candidate died a few days before an election and was elected and all the party did was to subsitute the deceased with their preferred candidate! Can anyone help me with these questions? Posted by tatafo| 29.03.2007 13:30 osaeloka  Villager  # 10 =tatafo;164557>Sorry maybe because I'm not a lawyer so I don't understand, but in a country that practices multi party elections, why would elections be postponed if a candidate dies? Are we electing the individual or the party? Is the reason to allow the party more time to throw up a new candidate to replace the deceased? And to campaign for the new candidate? If that's the case what stops OBJ from killing opponents so that the elections will keep getting postponed? Who drafted this provision in the constituion self and what is the rationale behind it? Here in the US no one postpones an election because a candidate has died. Infact I remember a few elections were a candidate died a few days before an election and was elected and all the party did was to subsitute the deceased with their preferred candidate! Can anyone help me with these questions? The answer is the very same reason we went through the madness of the Third Term campaign, the same reason INEC is insisting on printing the pictures of individuals instead of party emblems on the ballot .... Don't be surprised if Iwu and his spoekespersons came out tomorrow to rail at death for threatening their well planned elections the same way they claim the courts have been threatening them with their impudent rulings and judgments. Posted by osaeloka| 29.03.2007 13:55 The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

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