The
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is yet to
take a decision to shift the general elections or hold them as scheduled
Premium Times reports.The spokesperson to the INEC Chairman,Kayode Idowu, disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES a short while ago.
The
presidential and national assembly elections has been fixed for
February 14 while those of the governorship and state houses of assembly
are scheduled for February 28.
The
Nigerian government and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party have been
pushing for the postponement of the polls citing the security challenge
in the northeast zone of the country as well as INEC’s poor handling of
the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards as reasons.
Although
the electoral body has insisted it was ready for the elections, the
Council of State rose from its meeting on Thursday asking it to go
ahead, while also advising it to consult widely on the matter.
This
prompted INEC to commence a fresh round of consultation at the end of
which it would address a press conference later today (Saturday) to
announce the its decision on the matter.
Idowu told Premium Times
via a text message no decision had been reached on postponement
contrary to a report by an international news agency (The Associated
Press).
When Premium Times contacted Idowu, he spoke in low tone,
saying his Commission was in a consultative meeting with the leadership
of the 28 political parties.
At the time of this report, members
of the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, were about to take their turn
after which the Commission would meet with the 36 state Resident
Electoral Commissioners and that of the Federal Capital Territory.
Asked
to confirm if the elections had been postponed as reported by some
media organisation, Idowu said, “Nothing like that (has been) decided by
INEC yet.”
INEC is expected to make an official announcement of the postponement at a news conference later in the day.
It
would be recalled that, the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) has stated that it would hold a meeting with chairmen and
secretaries of all registered political parties, and Resident Electoral
Commissioners, (REC) today, to decide whether to shift the general
elections scheduled for February 14 and 28.
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