The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties will meet on Saturday to decide whether next week’s general elections will go ahead as scheduled.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, will meet party leaders before reaching a final decision.
This was part of the fallout of Thursday’s National Council of States meeting where Jega briefed the meeting on the commission’s preparation for the elections. The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and service chiefs also briefed the Council on the current security situation.
The meeting had advised INEC to consult widely before reaching a decision following the sustained calls for postponement of the elections by some groups, including the Chief Edwin Clark led Southern Nigerian Peoples Assembly.
At the end of Saturday’s stakeholders meeting, Jega, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, will thereafter address a press briefing.
The statement reads: “On Thursday, February 5, 2015, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, was invited to brief the National Council of States on the preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections.
He made a presentation titled: “Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report.’
“As a follow-up to that meeting, the Commission has scheduled a consultative meeting with chairmen and secretaries of all registered political parties, as well as a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, February 7, 2015. “Thereafter, the Commission will address a press conference to brief the nation on its decision with regard to whether or not the general election will hold as currently scheduled.”
