NSUKKA (ENUGU STATE) – Prof. Aloysius Okolie, the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka, says INEC postponement of Feb. 14 and 28 elections to
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March 28 and April 11 is a welcome development.
Okolie, a professor of political science made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Tuesday.
He said that given the highly security atmosphere in North East and some lapses in INEC preparations, the postponement was necessary if the country’s integrity was to be maintained.
“The postponement is necessary if we have to maintain the integrity of this federation. It is a welcome development to all meaning Nigerians. though it might not be a welcome development to `desperados’.
“The same people who want this election to go on not will not like their children or relations to be posted to the tense highly security atmosphere area as returning offers, polling officers or assistant polling officers.
“I congratulate those who have the gut to postpone the elections as I enjoin INEC and relevant organisations to always have the political will to do the needful for the overall interest of this federation,’’ he said
He said that those who by false calculation insisted that the elections should go on thinking they would win in spite of the danger on INEC and the ad hoc staff “are selfish leaders’’.
“Constitutionally it is wrong to declare any presidential candidate winner without votes from the three affected states in the North East.
“Those who wanted to rule this country should be more concerned of citizens and not to win at expense of the blood of citizens.
“After all in 2011 election was cancelled and shifted so why must heaven fall because elections are postponed to guarantee safety of INEC staff and other people involved,’’ he said.
The professor said that in spite of the security problem, INEC was not 100 per cent ready to conduct the election as many Nigerians of voting age were yet to collect their PVCs.
“There is noticed preferential sharing of PVCs in some areas which have resulted in many people yet to collect their permanent voter cards.
“In some state, INEC has not completed training of ad hoc staff for the election while in some other states. some card readers supplied for the elections are faulty
“With these uncertainties facing Feb. 14 and 28 postponed elections, one can safely say the postponement is a welcome development as the credibility to the elections could have been in doubt,’’ he said. (NAN)