Sumner Dagogo-Jack
Encyclopedia
Chief Sumner Karibi Dagogo-Jack (born 1930) was chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) appointed by President Sani Abacha
, holding office from 1994 to 1998.
Dagogo-Jack served as a member of the Humphrey Nwosu
electoral commission (1989–1993) and was later appointed chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria.
His commission was reportedly not impartial, but was controlled by Abacha.
Under Dagogo-Jack, NECON registered five political associations, none led by credible politicians.
These were United Nigeria Congress Party
(UNCP), Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN) and Grassroots Democratic Movement
(GDM). The purpose was to ensure that Abacha would become the sole presidential candidate, supported by all parties.
The commission conducted elections for the local government councils and the National Assembly.
NECON overstepped the bounds of its authority in some cases. For example, shortly before the March 1997 local government elections, Dagogo-Jack nullified the positions of National Leader in the NCPN and National Coordinator in the DPN, which he said were in violation of the parties' constitutions.
The elected officers had not been inaugurated when Abacha died suddenly in June 1998, and his successor Abdulsalami Abubakar
initiated a fresh electoral process that would lead to the establishment of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
in May 1999.
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
, holding office from 1994 to 1998.
Dagogo-Jack served as a member of the Humphrey Nwosu
Humphrey Nwosu
Professor Humphrey Nwosu was chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria appointed by President Ibrahim Babangida, holding office from 1989 to 1993.-Birth and early career:...
electoral commission (1989–1993) and was later appointed chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria.
His commission was reportedly not impartial, but was controlled by Abacha.
Under Dagogo-Jack, NECON registered five political associations, none led by credible politicians.
These were United Nigeria Congress Party
United Nigeria Congress Party
The United Nigeria Congress Party was a Nigerian political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, in which it won many elections, and in parliamentary...
(UNCP), Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN) and Grassroots Democratic Movement
Grassroots Democratic Movement
The Grassroots Democratic Movement was a Nigerian political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998.The...
(GDM). The purpose was to ensure that Abacha would become the sole presidential candidate, supported by all parties.
The commission conducted elections for the local government councils and the National Assembly.
NECON overstepped the bounds of its authority in some cases. For example, shortly before the March 1997 local government elections, Dagogo-Jack nullified the positions of National Leader in the NCPN and National Coordinator in the DPN, which he said were in violation of the parties' constitutions.
The elected officers had not been inaugurated when Abacha died suddenly in June 1998, and his successor Abdulsalami Abubakar
Abdulsalami Abubakar
General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar is a Nigerian general who was President of Nigeria from June 9, 1998 until May 29, 1999. He succeeded Sani Abacha upon Abacha's death. It was during Abubakar's leadership that Nigeria adopted its new constitution on May 5, 1999, which provided for multiparty...
initiated a fresh electoral process that would lead to the establishment of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
in May 1999.