Call For Postponement Of 2015 Elections, Suspicious

23rd January, 2015.

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), has condemned the Call made by the National Security Adviser to the president, Col. Sambo Dasuki at the Chatam House in Londonfor the postponement by three months of the February General Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the General elections.
“We applaud INEC for insisting that elections would hold as scheduled and we urge INEC not to bow to pressure of the government because their move for a postponement of the elections is suspicious and we urge all Nigerians to resist Desuki and his Principal” said ANEEJ Communications Officer, Kelly Umukoro.
“It is shocking to learn from Dasuki that the government is just knowing that some eligible voters were yet to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) , whereas Civil Society Organisations and opposition political parties clamoured for extension of dates for the distribution of permanent voters cards without a corresponding support from the Federal Government. Even in some cases, presidential aides were commending the distribution exercise in their domain. What has suddenly gone wrong? Why have they suddenly discovered that some Nigerians need to pick up their cards?” Umukoro queried.
It would be recalled that Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) assured that every effort would be made to ensure that intending voters collect their PVCs before the February polls which led to the decentralization of the distribution from Local Government Offices of INEC TO Ward levels. “Why does the Presidency not taking advantage of this new window to make those who have not picked up their cards to do so, why want a postponement of elections? The ANEEJ Spokesperson queried further.
“We believe that there is more to Dasuki’s call for postponement than meets the ordinary eyes and they have not told Nigerians their latent reason for the call. We call on the INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega to match his words with action and should not allow politicians to run INEC the way they have run the country. INEC remains the last hope of what is left of the present administration and must not compromise at this delicate time.” Kelly Umukoro stated.
“We urge all Nigerians to resist any attempt by INEC to shift the date of the General election and encourage all intending voters, who are yet to collect their cards to go and collect theirs from INEC offices in their wards. INEC should put in place every measure to ensure speedy distribution of any outstanding and uncollected PVCs. We continue to urge INEC to always update the public on PVC distribution in States and to notify areas where they have challenges” Umukoro Stated.
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