INEC POSTPONES THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SCHEDULED
TO START IN A FEW HOURS BY ONE WEEK
INEC Chairman, Professor
Mahmood Yakubu, announced the decision at a short press briefing at 2:44 am on
Saturday morning.
According
to the commission, the Presidential and National Assembly elections, initially
scheduled for today, February 16, will now hold on February 23, while the
governorship and state houses of assembly elections will take place on March 9.
He said, “Following a careful
review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan, and the
determination to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, the commission
came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no
longer feasible.
“Consequently,
the commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly
elections to Saturday, 23 February 2019.
According
to Mahmood Yakubu, the postponement will afford the commission the opportunity
to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of the
nation’s elections nationwide.
The polls were shifted despite
earlier assurance by the INEC boss that the commission has no plan to postpone
the elections.
“This was a difficult decision
for the commission to take but necessary for the successful delivery of the
elections and the consolidation of our democracy,” he added.
The
press briefing followed a crucial meeting Professor Yakubu had with INEC’s 12
National Commissioners late on Friday night.
“Furthermore, the Governorship, State House of
Assembly, and Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections are rescheduled
to Saturday, 9 March, 2019.”
Professor Yakubu’s announcement
confirms speculations that the electoral umpire would shift the polls after
encountering challenges in the distribution of electoral materials.
The
development means Nigeria has postponed its last three general elections due to
various reasons
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