By Tejiri Ebikeme
Mixed reactions today trailed the postponement of the February general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Those who commented on the postponement include; Barrister Oghenejabor Ikimi, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and Barrister Akpo Mudiaga-Odje
A human rights activist, Barriste Oghenejabor Ikimi yesterday condemned the postponement of the general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reacting to the postponement in Warri, the lawyer said it was an act of pure despIration by the ruling PDP to rig the 2015 elections.
“This is because the excuses given by INEC for the said postponement are unjustifiable barely a week after the chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega and the various heads of our security agencies had assured the entire nation of their preparedness for the election whose timetable INEC had since a year ago released for the election to the nation and as such there was no basis for postponing the exercise other than glaring pressure from the presidency,” he said.
According to him also: “We are therefore not surprised that INEC has finally succumbed to the written script of the presidency, which was first let out by the National Security Adviser in far away London. We make bold to state that the action of commission is not only unconstitutional, but has further impeached her credibility and integrity in the eyes of the general public as the 1999 constitution as amended supersedes the electoral act which the Presidency and INEC are presently relying on to justify the postponement.”
He called on Nigerians to be calm and urged aggrieved political parties to approach the court for judicial interpretation of the constitution on the subject.
Also, in his reaction, the Delta Central Senatorial candidate of Labour Party (LP), Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege said: “While not my preference, we in LP are prepared and determined to win the elections whenever a new date is announced.”
On his part, Delta State APC gubernatorial candidate, Olorogun o’tega Emerhor said that; “APC position before this development is against postponement! In the light of this development, our party will be coming out with an update of our position.”
A Warri based constitutional lawyer, Barrister Akpo Mudiaga Odje said that: “We saw it coming. It is a combination of poor preparation by INEC and security concerns. INEC has the power to postpone elections under the electoral act. Even the President can do so if we are at war. Now the thing is that the distribution of the PVCs has not reached the voting percentage of the populace. 28 million Nigerians are yet to get PVCs. That could have been an act of electoral slaughter. It is good for Nigeria and the security situation in the North East to postpone the elections. Under the constitution, INEC has till 29 April to do the elections.”
