The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has stated that insecurity is the major reason for the postponement of the February 14 and 28 elections to March 28 and April 11 for the Presidential/National Assembly and Governorship/State Assembly elections respectively.
Jega stated this at a World Press Conference yesterday night at the INEC Headquatres, Abuja, where he said that
“There are quite a number of issues in the conduct of elections, the most critical of which is security matter which is not under the control of INEC.”
In shifting the polls, he said the decision of INEC was in line with section 26, (1) of the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended.
According to him, the commission arrived at the decision after wide consultations with all the relevant stakeholders, including political parties, security chiefs, civil society organizations, the media, among others.
He admitted that even though the Commissionin was more ready than it was in 2011, there were other variables not directly under its control and was therefore compelled to take the security advisory from the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs into consideration in adjusting the timetable for the polls.
“INEC has cordial relations with all the security agencies, and we consider it imperative not to put our staff (ad hoc and regular staff) at risk if there are no security provisions for them”, he said.
He, however, advised the security agencies to ensure that security situation in the North East under which the shift was predicated were quickly resolved before the new date.
Answering questions from journalists after his speech, Jega said that there were no cost implications in the adjustment, adding that the electoral body would use the extension period to intensify training of its staff on electoral guidelines and the use of card readers to add value to the process. He further assured the nation that the materials already procured would not waste as they were properly secured.
On the allegations of bias leveled against him by Southern leaders under the auspices of Southern Leaders Peoples Assembly (SLPA), he described the accusation as unfounded and vowed not to resign as demanded by the body. He said, “If there are grounds for me to resign I will do that, but if my conscience does not tell me to do that, I will not. I have never shown bias for any section of the country. Rather than do that, I will resign.”
He said but for lack of time, he would have gone to court to compel them to prove their allegation.
