By Sufuyan Ojeifo
AHEAD of its June 11 inauguration, there has been so much noise about the mode of electing presiding officers of the ninth National Assembly. Some stakeholders canvass adoption of the secret ballot system while some others favour open ballot. Both have given reasons for their respective stance. Secret ballot advocates want confidentiality so that members can freely cast their votes without fear of victimisation by the superintending machinery of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC. Those pushing for open ballot want a restraining process that could be used to rein in members of the governing party to vote for its endorsed candidates.
Open ballot puts members-elect under intense pressure. It can influence the election in favour of the governing party’s preferred choices, excepting where members or some members decide to dare the party and damn the consequences.
Conversely, secret ballot gives members the leeway to engage in real ‘monkey…
