Election Postponement: Nigeria decides 2019 INEC boss, Yakubu under fire for ‘endangering democracy

Nigeria decides 2019: INEC boss, Yakubu under fire for ‘endangering democracy’

INEC Chairman Yakubu Mahmood 

As mixed reactions continue to trail the postponement of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political stakeholders have chided the electoral umpire over the unfortunate scenario.

They warned INEC that the collective wishes of Nigerian people in electing their leaders should not be thwarted

Recall that INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, while addressing reporters on Saturday morning at the press centre of the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital, said that the polls would not go on as planned due to some challenges encountered by the commission.

He explained that the decision to postpone the polls followed a careful review of the implementation of the logistics and operational plans put in place for the exercise.

Reacting to the development, in a chat with DAILY POST on Monday evening, the Senior Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on E-governance, Mr. Obed Nnaji Asiegbu, claimed that the postponement, was a well designed conspiracy orchestrated by INEC and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the polls.

According to Asiegbu, the action of the electoral body portend a great danger to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria

He said, “Postponement of the election is awful and wicked. Inec and APC are working against the people by planning to frustrate and disenfranchise voters. Electoral Materials were purposefully not sent to some States to create situational issues.

“INEC Chairman on several occasions assured the World of INEC readiness and people traveled from far and near just to caste their votes and only to be faced with a ploy to disenfranchise them, what a shameful thought by the APC led Government of Nigeria and the INEC. This is dangerous for the democracy”.

Also, Ike Anyatonwu, the Transition Committee Chairman of Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state, in a phone interview with DAILY POST, expressed displeasure with the postponement of the 2019 Presidential/National Assembly elections scheduled to hold February 16, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He described the postponement as an indication of colossal failure on the part of INEC and called for a review of the activities of the electoral umpire and capacity of the INEC boss, Prof Yakubu Mahmood to conduct a credible 2019 elections.

He queried why INEC will postpone the elections at the wee hours to the elections while expressing his dissatisfaction with the reasons giving by the INEC and further described it as most unfortunate because of the damages and inconveniences it has caused the electorate and Nigerians at large.

Contributing, the factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), in Abia state, Chikwe Udensi, while addressing Abia party faithful in Umuahia, on Monday, expressed disappointment over the postponement, urging them to use the opportunity, and consolidate on their door to door and sensitization campaigns.

Udensi, reassured the party of his commitment to ensure that the votes of the party will be protected at all cost, irrespective of any antique the seating government may bring up to rig the election.

Chuks Ibegbu, the Deputy National Publicity secretary of the apex Igbo socio -cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in his reaction, expressed rude shock over the shifting of the February 16 polls by the INEC.

He wondered why INEC which told Nigerians it was ready for the election suddenly shifted it .

Ibegbu noted that the world is watching INEC and all parties to the election and warned against further shifting of the election.

The Ohanaeze chieftain however, charged INEC not to allow itself be used as a tool to subvert our democracy, but to ensure credible elections.