Lagos and Abuja — Some governors have expressed reservations over the statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that their tenure will end in 2011 contrary to their expectations.

Election tribunals had nullified governorship elections in seven states and ordered fresh elections mostly in 2008. The beneficiary governors had expected that with the cancellation of the elections, they had a fresh mandate, which they expected would end in 2012. The states affected were Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Kogi and Sokoto.

But in a statement signed by the director of public affairs of INEC, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger yesterday, the electoral body said the governorship election of the affected states would take place in 2011.

"Following the amendment of Section 180 of the 1999 Constitution, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to conduct governorship elections in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Kogi and Sokoto states in January 2011, having regard to the fact that the incumbent governors won re-run/supplementary elections," the INEC stated.

"The commission is also to conduct governorship elections in Rivers, Edo, and Ondo States in June 2011, July 2012 and November 2012 respectively, having regard to the dates the incumbent governors took their oath of office.

"The commission is further to conduct governorship in Anambra State in November 2014, having regard to the fact that the incumbent governor took his oath of office in March 2010."

However, speaking through his media adviser, Mr. Ola Doife last night, Governor Timipre Sylva said the INEC has no final say on his tenure.

"Bayelsa State cannot take the INEC statement as the final word over whether the governorship election will hold in 2011 or not," the governor stated.

He said his case was different from others, especially in Ekiti State. For example, he said while the election tribunal only cancelled election in about 10 wards in Ekiti, the entire election was nullified in Bayelsa State.

Governor Sylva added: "More so, the new constitution which the INEC based its opinion on is still a subject of litigation in court of law."

"The INEC is not a judiciary body. Its business is to conduct elections."

The governor, however, said he was not losing sleep over whether the election will be conducted in 2011 or not saying he has done enough for his state to earn him second tenure whenever the election is conducted.

From Kogi State, Governor Ibrahim Idris said the issue over his tenure or mandate is left for the court to decide.

"The issue is a constitutional matter. Some people are already in court and the court will decide the matter. We are not going to join issue with the INEC," the special adviser (media) to the governor, Mr. Zakari Adamu told LEADERSHIP last night.

In the same vein, Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State said the INEC is not the proper authority to speak on the matter.

The governor who spoke with LEADERSHIP last night through his chief press secretary, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre said the matter would get to the Supreme Court. He said he was not bothered about the statement.

Reacting also, the commissioner of justice, Sokoto State, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadiri told LEADERSHIP that the INEC was reading the law upside down if it relied on the amended constitution for its action.

According to him, "Our election was conducted in 2008. Anybody elected will spend four years. Tenure counts from the day he assumes office. The INEC's position is faulty."

Meanwhile, chairman of the INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega has promised to remove all bottlenecks that impede women representation and participation in the electoral process.

Jega stated this yesterday while playing host to the minister of women affairs and social development, Mrs. Josephine Anenih.

The INEC boss assured the minister who came with various women groups and representation from the National Assembly that he would tackle all systematic hurdles and hindrances women suffer in politics and also create a level playing ground for them to participate.

Earlier, Anenih, had said she and her team were at the commission to intimate Jega on the outcome of the women roundtable conference held earlier in the year with a view to forging strategic plans that would encourage the women folk to participate in the electioneering process.