While I like the fact that the process is being followed and hopefully more legitimacy will come through the judgement outcomes, the cost (financial, disruption in governance, heating up the polity, violence and loss of lives, etc.) is considerable.

For example, did you know that at INEC’s projected $7.9 cost per voter, it would take another N3B (approx.) to hold the Rivers gubernatorial elections? This would bring the total amount spent on getting a governor in Rivers to N6B!!! Note that Rivers has 2,537,590 registered voters with a PVC collection rate of 75.%, and elections will be planned based on the amount of PVCs collected, regardless of who actually turns up.

Another question is; how is this paid for? Is there a budget for election re-runs? What factor is this based on?

At what stage do we also resolve the root and immediate causes of these annulled elections? Systematic issues need to be addressed and consequence should be applied to those responsible for wilfully circumventing the process and carrying out acts of electoral fraud and violence.

Does anyone have facts and figures to show the INEC records on election annulment? Something tells me we would have to hold the world record on this one. The record looks to be abysmal just from at a glance.

That said, we have come a long way from where we “restarted” in 1999 and confidence is gradually returning to our electoral process.

SAN