Residents of Plateau have expressed disappointment over the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 16.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who announced the postponement Saturday morning, said that the polls would be delayed by one week, and attributed the decision to “logistics”.
He said that the Presidential and National Assembly elections would be held on February 23, while the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, earlier slated for March 2, would take place on March 9.
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But, Plateau residents, who spoke with NAN on the development, said that it was a “huge blow” that would affect democratic growth and slow down voters’ enthusiasm about the voting process.
Dr. Haruna Dabin, the governorship candidate of the Providence People’s Party (PPP), described the development as “very sad”, saying that Nigeria’s democracy was taking “very steps forward and many steps backward”.
He, however, said that the postponement would not affect the final outcomes of the elections.
“God will surely accomplish his purpose for our lives, our state and our country,” he said.
Also reacting, Mr Damishi Sango, PDP Chairman in Plateau, described the development as “shocking, unbelievable and sad”.
“It is simply a coup against democracy and a setback to our collective quest for democratic growth,” Sango told NAN.
Mr Tob Kekemeke, a lawyer and former Chairman of the Plateau chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association, expressed fear that the development would put Nigeria’s democracy into “a precarious situation”.
“What INEC did is uncalled for since there is no particular emergency in the country. It is a shame and national disgrace. It has a potential to dent INEC’s image and lead to massive economic waste.”
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He also faulted Yakubu’s broadcast that announced the postponement, saying that it was “fashioned in a form of military broadcast devoid of any apology to Nigerians and international observers”.
Also reacting, Mr Emmanuel Herbe, a lecturer with the Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankshin described the election postponement as “a big embarrassment.”
Herbe, the immediate past Chairman of the FCE Pankshin’s chapter of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), accused INEC of “failing Nigerians” after claiming that they were ready for the exercise.
“INEC kept telling the world it was ready, only to disappoint at the last minute. This is a shame,” he said.
He wondered what the electoral umpire meant by logistics problems, saying that the postponement would lead to massive waste for the political parties and many that had traveled to far distances to vote.
Chief Alexander Mwolwus, Chief of Staff to Sen. Joshua Dariye when he was Plateau Governor, described the postponement as “unfortunate and sad”.
Mwolwus, who also served as Special Adviser on Political Affairs to Sen. Jonah Jang, Dariye’s successor, opined that INEC had only succeeded in disgracing Nigeria before the world. (NAN)
