NASS ELECTION POSTPONEMENT: INEC REASONS UNDERSTANDABLE BUT UNACCEPTABLE

April 2nd, 2011.

INTRODUCTION

As a critical supporter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it is time we added our voice to the growing demand that INEC improves on its poor service delivery. The reasons given by INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega for postponement of today’s National Assembly election were simply unacceptable even if they were understandable. Why would INEC belatedly discover delay in delivery of some election materials by some vendors? Why should it take INEC mid-day of the first election day when voters were already mobilised to realise that election materials were not ready? People travelled to their various localities, offices, schools and shops closed down nation-wide to cast votes that never took place. Women and youths turned out in large numbers. No apology from INEC can compensate for this enormous sacrifice. It is INEC officials that must wait for voters not the other way round.

DON’T TASK THE PATIENCE OF NIGERIANS

The costs of this singular election are getting too high for our democracy, money, time and national wise. The country will still be shut down for election on Monday. Schools will be closed down. When we were working, Nigerians were poor. When schools were open, mass failure was the order of the day. Is it when we further shut down the schools for vote-counts that our education will improve?

VOTERS’ ENTHUSIASM MAY TURN TO VOTERS’ APATHY

INEC should not stretch the patience of Nigerians to a limit. Nigerians have long ignored the roads of mass protests as the cases in Tunisia, Syria and Egypt. INEC’s service non-delivery should not take us to this avoidable road because voters’ enthusiasm may lead to voters’ apathy and voters’ protest if care is not taken.

We call on INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega to sit up and confront the challenges of conducting credible election in the country. There is already avoidable crisis of confidence in INEC with this latest postponement. INEC under Prof. Attahiru Jega has the urgent task of erasing this crisis of confidence by giving Nigerians a road map on how to get the elections conducted without further excuses next time.

Issa Aremu mni.
GENERAL SECRETARY NUTGTWN/VICE-PRESIDENT NLC