…Says he Misses the Classroom

The 2024 local government elections will hold on October 5. The state’s electoral umpire, Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC, has declared its reediness for the polls which will hold across all the 17 local government areas in the state.

In this exclusive interview, Chairman, ENSIEC, Professor Christian Chiduben Ngwu explains why the commission will not deploy the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System, (BIVAS) during the local council elections.

Speaking on the readiness of the commission, Professor Ngwu said that the commission is ready for the polls assuring the people of the state that it would be free, fair and transparent. 

Excepts

 Please tell us a little about your profile.

First of all, let me welcome you to my office. My name is Professor Christian Chidubem Ngwu. I am a professor of media and communication studies at ESUT. I studied at Nsukka, UNN, for my first and second degrees, and had my Ph.D in ESUT in mass communication. I am a member of the prestigious Nigerian Academy of Letters, and by the special grace of God, I am the executive chairman of ENSIEC Enugu state.

Let’s take off from your appointment as the chairman and your tenure. How has it been?

Well, very enjoyable, smooth, but a little bit hectic, and the activities taking up on a daily basis are increasing.

Because the local government election is approaching, as you notice here, I don’t rest anymore. Immediately after, I go out for consultations, and people ask about one thing or the other regarding the election. So it’s been fine, quite good, quite enjoyable, but it is becoming hectic on a daily basis. But we are equal to the task because I will do my best.

How ready is the commission for the October 5^th Council Election?

We are quite ready.

Have commenced awareness or mobilization?

Yes, awareness is going on radio. There has been mobilization,

Is October 5th sacrosanct?

Yes, very sacrosanct, except for some authorities, unless God says otherwise. We are eager to conduct the election, get freed from it, and face other things because, after the election, there are other things that we will face.

Recently, the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to Local Governments. Does this affect your office?

No, it doesn’t affect it at all. The Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to local government, but it doesn’t affect our duties.

Do you collaborate with the local government ahead of the election?

Presently, we have the HPM, the Head of Personal Management. They will be part of this election because, at the end of the day, everything is about local government and governance.

So they will be part of it to ensure safety and the smooth delivery of election materials and return. They will get involved.

A lot of people believe that state independent electoral commissions are not independent from the executive government. Is that true?

Well, if you are talking about independence, it all depends on what they need.

The state doesn’t dictate for us in most cases, but of course, we are not financially independent. All our funding comes from the state government, and fortunately, they don’t have a standing allocation.

We are dependent on the government financially. Aside from staffing, we are independent.

When is the campaign starting?

Primary elections by political parties have been done and dusted and we went round to observe them. There will be one month period for campaigns which start on the 4th of September and end on the 4th of October.

How many political parties are contesting for the election?

We have 18 in our records, but what we don’t know is whether the whole 18 are going to contest. Unless they are done with the primaries, which we are going to supervise to ensure that they are going according to the law.

That’s when we will know how many they are or when they start picking their nomination forms.

There are some political parties that exist in Enugu that we don’t know about. Others you have to make calls because they don’t have offices to get the chairman or secretary to pick their letters. Sometimes, our dispatch man goes around and around, comes back, and says, ‘I didn’t see this person,’ then we place a call. So, there are those who are existing on paper, while there are others who are quite on the ground. I wouldn’t know how many they are. It is the nomination form being picked that would tell us how many they are.

What does your appointment mean to you?

Well, it’s a call to service and a challenge, and I’m expected to deliver and serve the people of Enugu State. It means a lot to me. It’s a call to service and to move away from the shores of the classroom for the meantime. And serving the state in another capacity.

Talking about the classroom, don’t you miss it?

At times, I do. Some other times, I don’t. Because it has taken me away from the queues when students surround you every time.

You’re talking about assignments, sure. I have much freedom in the classroom than I have here. But I enjoy being here because it gives me enough opportunities to make new contacts and to explore new avenues.

Gather new skills and knowledge, which the classroom cannot offer you. But that doesn’t mean I’m throwing away the classroom. Because when I’m done here, I will go back to the classroom.

How soon?

Let me continue the first tenure first, which would last for the next four years.

I would do a check list on whether to go back or to remain here if I am reappointed.

How would you rate the performances of your Boss, the Executive Governor of Enugu State? 

Of course, he is a disruptive innovator; I rate him over a hundred percent.

What is the expectation in the upcoming election, sir?

It will be free and fair, smooth and violence-free, and it will be a success.

How long would it take for the results to be released after voting?

Going by the guidelines, it won’t take long. Within two to four days, the result is out.

Two days is enough, so long as there is no disruption anywhere.

What system are you going to adopt?

The normal system, you know the normal system: one vote, one person, you stay, vote, your vote is counted. Any other system can be used, except BIVAS.

Why not sir?

We are not thinking about that (deploying BIVAS). Maybe it would come later. There are processes in using BIVAS. First and foremost, for us to deploy BIVAS, we need to apply to INEC, if the approval is granted, the BIVAS would need to be reconfigure to capture our election areas peculiarities. The process may take weeks or months to accomplish. Most importantly, the cost implication is huge. We didn’t factor it in the poll. Not deploying BIVAS will not in any well undermine the credibility of the pool.

How do you relax after ENSIEC activities?

There is no way I can take my mind off it because it I am here to serve the good people of Enugu state. But it doesn’t stop me from facing my personal responsibilities.

When I’m not here or there to answer one official call or the other, I have time for myself. That doesn’t stop me from doing my own thing. It’s that you now have limited time and limited places to find yourself.

There are places that I cannot go now because I am a public official. And there are places you cannot see me, and there are times you won’t see me, but I still relax.

 How many states INEC chairmen are expected?

All the state SECs are expected in Enugu, but we don’t know those who will turn up. Those who do not turn up, you would not pay because not everybody would turn up.

What role are they playing?

Their role is just to observe. They monitor what is happening from one polling unit to the other.

Thank you very much, sir.