INEC Under Pressure, May Postpone Nigeria’s Election For 6 Weeks

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Saturday, February 7th, 2015

From Ganiyu Nasirudeen – Abuja – Reports reaching us indicate that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may bow to pressure from the Presidency and security agencies to postpone next week election for six weeks.

Though the commission has just clarified that it has not shifted the general election dates as scheduled.

INEC Chairman Pro. Attahiru Jega

This obviously dispels the reports making the round that the electoral body has bowed to pressure, hence approved the elections postponement on account of insecurity in the North Eastern part of the country as well as to have ample time for distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

The reports also has it that the polls have been shifted for another six weeks for the constitution of Multinational Force to tackle insurgents’ attacks in the North East and some parts of the North.

The Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu confirmed Saturday that the meeting between the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, heads of political parties and Resident Electoral Commissions (RECs) was still underway in Abuja and the body was yet to take a position whether the elections should hold as planned or not.

Prof Jega is expected to address the nation later today on the outcome of the stakeholders meeting.

It would be recalled the Council of States met for about eight hours Thursday also in Abuja and concluded that the elections should be conducted as planned – February 14 and 28, 2051, except in the troubled zone, which it advised could hold later.

However, AFRICAN EXAMINER inside sources revealed that INEC might eventually throw in the towel, as some of the opposition Party leaders, except the leading – the APC, have been allegedly bribed, as well as the RECs, whose inputs seriously matter in the final resolutions.