• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

INEC said to mull postponement of Nigeria elections

Mahmood Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering postponing Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections, according to a report Friday by local newspaper, Premium Times.

The report claims multiple sources close to the electoral commission said the postponement is being considered due to some logistics challenges faced by the commission in many states.

A formal announcement is expected on Friday night, the Premium Times report said. BusinessDay could not immediately confirm the validity of the claim.

A postponement at the eleventh hour would question the transparency of the election and risks triggering heightened voter apathy among Nigerians who have little faith that the elections would indeed be free and fair.

The Punch newspaper corroborated the report by Premium Times and confirmed that the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, is currently meeting with stakeholders, including international and local observers, over a possible election postponement over logistic challenges.

Some of the states where the logistic challenges are said to occur include Niger and Ekiti.

The News Agency of Nigeria earlier reported that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Niger State said ballot papers for two of the state’s three senatorial districts were missing as of Friday evening.

In Ekiti, the former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, accused INEC of deliberately hoarding materials for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections in some states to frustrate the PDP.

Fayose said he was aware that ballot papers and result sheets for presidential and senatorial elections were not in Ekiti State as at 9 p.m. on Friday, adding that only materials for the House of Representatives were distributed.
According to his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, Mr Fayose said similar situations already reported in Oyo, Taraba, Edo, Niger, Ogun, Rivers and other states.

INEC had scheduled the national elections for Saturday while the governorship and state assemblies elections are scheduled for March 2.