President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday declared  electoral problem as the most dangerous and most retrogressive of all the nation's troubles and assured that solving it means that all other problems have been solved.

But the President of the Senate, David Mark, cautioned critics to look beyond the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, in the search for solution and warned that calls for his removal are unnecessary as it is not the panacea to the electoral problem in Nigeria.

Represented by Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, the President not only handed down a marching order to the Senators to focus on how to right the wrongs in the electoral process, but also to bear in mind that if the electoral problem is solved then every other problem besting the country must have been tackled. "I believe that if we get the issue of election right in this country, every other thing will fall in place.

I say so because I know that our people are very eager to be counted in the process of good governance; once we can gain their confidence and convey that the various social ills plaguing our country today range from corruption to unrest in various different segments of the country will disappear. "I charge you to please take necessary challenges in this regard and one is getting a good law to enhance credible electoral system. The second is changing our attitude; I consider those things very important, knowing that all of us know that no law would be effective unless we collectively decide to make it effective by abiding by its dictates." While declaring the retreat open, he named two core issues which should be addressed before the nation could boast of meaningful development. These, according to him, include the enthronement of proper sets of legislation to boost the electoral system and the change of attitude of Nigerians in a way that would make the legislations operational. Yar’Adua stated his resolve to assent to the electoral bills currently pending in the National Assembly into law immediately they were passed.

"I want to restate here that as government we shall support the National Assembly's effort to amend our constitution and Electoral Act. We shall waste no time in signing it into law the outcome of the exercise so long as the bill meets the aspirations and views of Nigerians,” Yar’Adua stated. In his opening address, Senator Mark said that even if Iwu was removed, such a removal was not synonymous with solving the nation's electoral problems. He pointed out that another important question is the lack of autonomy and independence for the nation’s Election Management Bodies (EMBs)". These and other such issues, he added, have contributed to the present state of our political challenges and agitation. "Let me also admit that there is need for some reform in our system. But may I quickly add that our process is certainly not the worst in the world as some self-styled analysts would want us to believe. And let me say further and more emphatically this time that the removal of Prof. Maurice Iwu is not the review or the reform of our electoral process”, he said.  “Let me also admit that weak democratic institutions and processes exist that are not able to exert effective control over this situation. Disregard for rule of law, as well as the ignorance of a large section of the populace on their rights and freedoms, more often than not threaten to undermine our electoral process.   "However, we must take critical look at all the issues.  We need to look inwards and see whether we need a review of the entire electoral Act or whether we have to place emphasis on public enlightenment to educate the populace to understand their voting rights.  Is the problem actually with the existing Electoral Act and legislation or with our attitude, or indeed the vaulting ambition of some individuals who believe that unless they are in power nothing can be right?" Meanwhile, the Senate’s annual retreat which flagged off yesterday in Enugu, had names of senators already sacked by the tribunals and whose replacements had already taken seat on the floor listed as current members attending the event. This was several months after the Court of Appeal in Ilorin sacked Femi Kila from representing Ekiti Central senatorial district and replaced him with Bode Ola, yet Kila is still accorded the status of a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was listed as a Senator representing Ekiti Central in an imposing banner welcoming members to the Nike Lake Resort, venue of the retreat.

The large size banner, which was conspicuously displayed on the wall at the entrance to the venue, was signed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and it was done in the national colours of green and white. Curiously, Senator Ola's picture, who was sworn in almost immediately in June, was not included in the poster. His aide, who would not want his name in print, expressed disappointment over this lapse. “Senator Ola has been in the Senate long before the retreat was planned and there is no reason why his picture should not be included among that of his colleagues,” he said.Also included in the list of invitees at the retreat was Iyiola Omisore, whose election as the Senator representing Osun East senatorial district was voided almost two weeks ago.

His picture was also displayed alongside that of his colleagues on the banner. Omisore's election was voided by an Appeal Court in Ibadan Oyo State on October 29. The court ordered a re-run within 60 days. But if Omisore's inclusion can be explained, that of the  Minister of the Federal Captial Territory (FCT), Muhammad Adamu Aliero, who was also included as an attendee of the retreat, left many tongues wagging. Aliero was sworn in as a senator representing Kebbi Central senatorial district on June 5, 2007. He left the Senate following his confirmation as the FCT minister by the Senate last year. Kebbi Central senatorial district has no replacement for Aliero up till date. Efforts to get official reaction failed as an aide of the deputy Senate president, who refused to be named, declined comment on the matter.