• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Election postponement shocking, international embarrassment, says Jimi Agbaje

Jimi-Agbaje

The Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, has expressed disappointment and shock over the postponement of Nigeria’s general elections.

Agbaje said in a statement to Journalists and signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Felix Oboagwina, noted that the postponement was capable of eroding confidence in the entire electoral process, and damaging the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Agabje who is contesting the governorship election in Lagos State for the third time, stressed that the commission gave no hint it would take such decision even when it had continually assured Nigerians that the election would still hold as scheduled

According to him, “We are disappointed as well as shocked that right on the eve of the polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can so summarily postpone elections that have taken so long for everyone to prepare for. This is not good for our democracy,”

“The postponement was capable of eroding confidence in the entire electoral process, apart from damaging the credibility of INEC. This can put a question mark on even the results of the elections, especially if, God forbid, it now favours the ruling party.

“To voters and politicians, this comes as a rude anti-climax, especially as the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had always given assurances and expressed confidence that the process was tight, right and ready. International observers and the world Press are on ground. The whole world has its sight glued to Nigeria; and then you come up with this type of narrative about shoddy logistics. It is a shock. This came completely from the blue,” Agbaje said.

The PDP leader added that the INEC Chairman, who had held his post since October 2015, and his team, should have been on top of their game by perfecting all necessary arrangements for the general elections, stressing that the postponement that will lead to the commission disenfranchising many voters.

“Although we shall refuse to subscribe to any conspiracy theories about the ruling party pressuring the commission to do any last-minute tinkering with the timetable in view of an imminent defeat, this still leaves room for suspicion. After all, we are not reinventing the wheel.

“This will throw our people into a dilemma, especially people who travelled. Will they now return to base or will they be determined enough to remain in their voting constituencies for one full, unplanned, week in order to cast their vote?” he wondered.

 

Iniobong Iwok