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Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP has welcome the postponement of the country’s general elections by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
A statement by Director of Media and Publicity of the party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Femi Fani-Kayode, says INEC ”must be commended for showing the courage to shift the elections after acknowledging the fact that its state of preparedness was not 100 per cent.”
The statement further says, “Since this decision has been taken in the interest of deepening democracy and in national interest, we accept it in good faith and we commend INEC’s courage and obvious commitment to ensuring a free and fair election.”
But in a reaction, the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC, through its National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun says “this is clearly a major setback for Nigerian democracy, and our Party is meeting in emergency session to study its implications and will inform Nigerians of its decisions in the next few days.
“In the meantime, though what has happened is highly provocative, I strongly appeal to all Nigerians to remain calm and desist from violence and any activity which will compound this unfortunate development. We must not fall into this obvious trap. Change we must. They can only delay it; No one can stop it.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally announced its decision to “adjust” the country’s election timetable for the 2015 general elections.

Chairman of the Commission Attahiru Jega, saturday night told journalist in Abuja, the decision to postpone the elections was based on security concerns.

He said the presidential and national assembly elections will now hold on March 28, while the governorship and house of assembly elections will hold on April 11.

Jega said security agencies had informed INEC of embarking a six-week special operation against Islamist Boko Haram insurgents in the north eastern region of the country and would prefer not to be distracted by the elections.

According to INEC Chairman. the military informed him that the operations are due to commence on February 14, the same date INEC intends holding the presidential and national assembly elections.

Jega said the absence of security agencies to provide cover for the conduct of the election therefore rendered the process a risky one.

Contrary to the rumours going rounds, Jega said INEC was not forced by anyone to shift the elections – INEC will not risk the lives of about 700,000 workers who would be involve in conducting the elections.

Earlier on Thursday, at the National Council of State, Jega informed the gathering of the commissions readiness to conduct the elections, but the Nigerian military chiefs said the security agencies were overstretched by the scaling-up of the war against Islamists Boko Haram group.

Apart from the security issues, there had also been genuine concerns on over 30 million voters who were yet to collect their permanent voter cards, going ahead to conduct the elections would mean disenfranchising them from casting votes in the general elections.

An unconfirmed report by Associated Press says Nigeria has postpone its general elections by six weeks.

According to the report, the decision by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to enable Africa’s multinational force time, to recover areas under the Boko Haram control in the country’s North East region.

An un-named INEC official told AP millions of Nigerians would be disenfranchised if the elections goes ahead as initially planned.

INEC is expected to make a statement to that effect in a press conference.

Contrary to the speculation going round that Nigeria’s general elections will be shifted to a later date, Nigeria’s highest decision making body – National Council of State has okayed the elections to kick off on February 14 as scheduled.

The issue which form part of the discussion during the Council of State on Thursday was finally resolved with directive to the Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to proceed with preparations as schedule without delay.

There were speculations prior to the Council meeting that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration may influence the National body to get INEC shift the voting dates.

Presidential and National Assembly elections were scheduled to hold on February 14, while Gubernatorial and States Assembly elections were fixed for February 28.

Meanwhile some sources at the meeting revealed that all former heads of state at the meeting agreed that INEC’s plans to conduct the elections as schedule earlier should be respected.

But some governors Present at the meeting were divided along party lines.

According to sources, majority of PDP governors wanted the polls delayed for fear of insecurity in parts of the country and to enable the 34 percent of voters collect their permanent voter cards – their counterparts in the opposition however insisted that the poll must proceed as scheduled.

Speaking shortly after the meeting Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State said that INEC assured the Council it was ready to conduct the elections and that the distribution of the permanent voter cards was going on well.

Okorocha said, “It was one of an unusual Council of State meeting that took over seven hours deliberating on a very sensitive issue as to whether INEC is prepared for the elections or not and whether there is need for the change of dates of these elections.

“INEC has said they are very ready to conduct these elections and the security agencies have shown concerns about certain local governments where they have security challenges. But INEC has the power to conduct elections including fixing dates of elections.

“The Council rose that INEC should then inform the nation as to their preparedness and proceed to conduct the elections.”

According to him the state council after the assurance by Jega asked the commission to go and performs its civic responsibility and advised INEC to liaise with security agencies to provide adequate security during the polls.

Mimiko ‎on his part said “INEC had the benefit of input from council members and security chiefs and agencies.

“And based on the very exhaustive discussion and pieces of advice, INEC is constitutionally empowered with the basis of discussions to brief the nation and then the news will be communicated to you”.

Asked if the meeting discussed ‎date shifts, the Ondo State Governor said, “‎Like I made it absolutely clear, I am not INEC Chief, INEC will appropriately brief you based on the meeting we just had. INEC is going to consult widely with stakeholders and come up with a decision that they will brief the nation soon.”

The meeting lasted over seven hours.

Nigeria’s National Council of state has directed the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to go ahead with the 2015 general elections as planned.

More details later…