CRISIS IN MALAGA AS NIGERIAN COMMUNITY ELECTIONS POSTPONED
Many
Nigerians living in Málaga Spain have expressed dismay in the way and manner
the Nigerian Community Málaga election scheduled to hold on Saturday, 12th
September, 2015 was postponed. The postponement of the election came to the
notice of Nigerians just 2 days to the election till further notice.
Nigerians
have also criticized the past executives for refusing to hand over all
association’s documents, including the association’s CIF to the electoral
committee, thereby preventing the electoral committee in conducting a free and
fair election.
The
president of the association, Ndubuisi Orji, who is presently in the United
Kingdom, has argued that all documents regarding the association has been
handed over to the vice president,. Ekiomoado Frederick Amayo. Frederick on his
part said he has refused to hand over the documents to the electoral committee
because there are some vital positions still pending which need to be filled
before conducting an election.
Frederick
has used that as the reason to work with
the electoral committee’s president, Pastor Frederick Idahosa in making sure
the Manifesto Night was cancelled. The electoral committee has sent a message
across all Nigerians in Málaga that there will be a Manifesto Night on Friday,
September 4, 2015. The Manifesto Night was cancelled without officially
informing Nigerians and the candidates.
However,
the above has not been met, as the executives, until today, have not been able
to hand over all documents to the electoral committee, including all funds
(audit report) of the association to the electoral committee.
But does the Vice President has right to withhold the
Association’s documents for any reason?
In
accordance with the Constitution of the Nigerian Community, Málaga, Pg. 16,
Section 5, No. 4, under the Rules and Regulations for Election, it states: “All
documents concerning the association shall be handed over to the electoral
committee at the 24th month (2 years) after a budget has been submitted and
fund released.”
From the
above paragraph of the constitution, it means that the vice president does not
have any right whatsoever to withhold the association’s documents. The
electoral committee should be in position to take actions of vacancy, etc. if
the need arises.
The
Nigerian Community Málaga constitution also states in Pg. 11, Paragraph 3
(Offices and Duties) that the president “will coordinate the work of the
various offices and committee of this community EXCEPT the ELECTORAL and
DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE who are INDEPENDENT BODIES”.
This
simply means that no one, not even the president has the right to coordinate
the works of the electoral committee. However, the vice president, Mr.
Frederick Ekiomoado is working against the constitution by refusing to hand
over documents of the Nigerian Community to the electoral committee.
It should
be noted that the present executives of the association’s tenure has expired
since August, 2014, making them remain in office for another one year.
Effects of Postponing the Nigerian Community Málaga
Elections
1. It will discourage Nigerians who initially want to come out
and vote.
2.
It will
make Nigerians think there’s something huge the contestants will benefit if
they win in the Nigerian Community, Málaga election.
3.
It will
discourage Nigerians from participating in meetings and other functions of the
association.
4. It will make the electoral committee members discouraged in
conducting a free and fair elections. They have been meeting for about a year
now.
