The Independent National Electroal Commission, INEC, has apologised to all for the shift in the dates of the postponed general elections expected to have been held on Saturday, February 16 and March 2.
The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu while addressing stakeholders on Saturday tendered the apology to all parties and persons directly involved and affected by the shift of elections over the inconveniences they might have incurred.
“We regret over the postponement of the elections,” he noted.
Yakubu who announced the shift in dates of the elections Saturday this morning said the elections would now hold on February 23 for presidential and National Assembly and March 9 for Governorship and State House of Assembly elections respectively.
On the question if all votes would count, he assured that votes would count.
Responding to question if INEC is ready to conduct the February 23 election in one week having failed to do so in four years, the INEC boss said the elections umpire would conduct the elections as scheduled without fail.
Meanwhile, Prince Uche Secondus, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman has called for the resignation of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Secondus who tweeted Saturday said his party has rejected shift of the elections.
“The postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC is an agenda by President @MBuhari to cling to power. I hereby call on @inecnigeria Chairman to resign immediately,” he wrote.
Also, Femi Fani-Kayode, the former minister of aviation has condemned the postponement of presidential and governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Saturday morning announced the shift of the 2019 presidential and governorship election by a week.
Fani-Kayode, reacting to the development said President Muhammadu Buhari will still be unseated no matter how many times INEC postponed election.
The former minister on his Twitter page. Wrote; “Postpone the election as many times as you like, you are on your way out! And after you have been unseated you will be bundled to the International Criminal Court at the Hague to answer for mass murder, ethnic cleansing, genocide and crimes against humanity. Glory halellujah!”
Reno Omokri has accused the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of plotting to scuttle democracy.
Reacting in a post on his Twitter handle, Omokri, Special Assistant to the former President Goodluck Jonathan, also accused the president of bullying the electoral body.
He wrote: “Any postponement of the election scheduled to hold tomorrow is a #CoupAgainstNigeria and a slap in the face of Nigerians, given that the government had enough time and money to prepare for the elections. If they postpone, don’t respond violently. Be patient to vote against them.
“Ever since the suspicious burning of highly guarded INEC offices a few days to the scheduled elections, I knew a #CoupAgainstNigeria was afoot. They want you to react violently, so they can do what they did to the Shiites to you and scuttle democracy. Be wise and remain peaceful.
“The Buhari regime may succeed in bullying INEC to postpone the election, but despite any #CoupAgainstNigeria, they can only postpone their rejection by the Nigerian people. They can’t stop it. We‘ve tolerated 97% versus 5% for 4 years. We can tolerate a few more days.
“Under no circumstances must we be violent. The power is in your PVC, not in their shenanigans or the guns and bullets at their beck and call. The way to frustrate any #CoupAgainstNigeria is to refuse to react as they expect. Give them the voting finger whenever the election holds
“Finally, I call in the INEC, Police, Army and all military and paramilitary forces to remember that your oath of allegiance is to Nigeria, not Buhari regime. REFUSE to obey any illegal order. Be loyal to Nigeria in the event of any #CoupAgainstNigeria.”
