Protesters storm INEC office, demand postponement of this month’s general elections
Protesters numbering about 100 stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Monday, demanding the postponement of this month’s general election.
The youth gathered at the INEC headquarters in the Maitama District of Abuja asking it to delay the polls because of the difficulty in the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card, PVCs.
The protest confirmed PREMIUM TIMES exclusive story of last Thursday revealing the plot by the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] to organize nationwide protest against the electoral body to force it to shift the polls.
According to the protesters, only 40 per cent of the poll had been distributed ahead of the February 14 and 28 elections.
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Mr. Dasuki called for the postponement in London, while addressing an audience at Chatham House.
However, the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, has stated that the measures taken by the Commission for the distribution of PVCs would be enough to overcome the challenges being faced in the distribution of the cards.
INEC also said it has so far distributed 42.77 million PVCS out of the 68.8 million registered voters, representing 62.15 per cent.
Since Mr. Dasuki’s call for postponement of the polls, several Nigerians and groups, especially, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have maintained that the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are pushing for postponement because of the fear of failure.
The PDP and Presidency have both denied being behind the postponement move. But our source said Wednesday’s meeting has confirmed that PDP officials wanted more time to explore ways of turning around what appears a “change” momentum in the country.
“They agreed that the best thing to do is to force a postponement to allow the party recover effectively,” another presidency source said.
“They also agreed that the momentum to attack the integrity of General Buhari must be maintained before any election is allowed,” he said.
The spokesperson for the PDP presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, as well as the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Rufai Alkali, could not be reached to comment for this story.
While Mr. Fani-Kayode’s telephone lines failed to connect, Mr. Alkali did not answer or return calls.
The spokesperson for the APC, Lai Mohammed, had issued a statement Wednesday saying, a newspaper advert plainly calling for election shifts has the imprint of the PDP and Presidency.
”There is no clearer indication that the PDP and the Presidency are the puppeteers behind the election shift campaign than Wednesday’s newspaper advertorial plainly campaigning for the polls to be shifted.
”This advert, which has the picture of President Goodluck Jonathan and the logo of the PDP – meaning they will be the sole beneficiaries of the postponement they are seeking – leaves no one in doubt that the ruling party and the presidency are pathologically dishonest, deliberately deceptive and chronically terrified about the elections,” Mr. Mohammed said.
Mr. Dasuki called for the postponement in London, while addressing an audience at Chatham House.
However, the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, has stated that the measures taken by the Commission for the distribution of PVCs would be enough to overcome the challenges being faced in the distribution of the cards.
INEC also said it has so far distributed 42.77 million PVCS out of the 68.8 million registered voters, representing 62.15 per cent.
Since Mr. Dasuki’s call for postponement of the polls, several Nigerians and groups, especially, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have maintained that the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are pushing for postponement because of the fear of failure.
The PDP and Presidency have both denied being behind the postponement move. But our source said Wednesday’s meeting has confirmed that PDP officials wanted more time to explore ways of turning around what appears a “change” momentum in the country.
“They agreed that the best thing to do is to force a postponement to allow the party recover effectively,” another presidency source said.
“They also agreed that the momentum to attack the integrity of General Buhari must be maintained before any election is allowed,” he said.
The spokesperson for the PDP presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, as well as the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Rufai Alkali, could not be reached to comment for this story.
While Mr. Fani-Kayode’s telephone lines failed to connect, Mr. Alkali did not answer or return calls.
The spokesperson for the APC, Lai Mohammed, had issued a statement Wednesday saying, a newspaper advert plainly calling for election shifts has the imprint of the PDP and Presidency.
”There is no clearer indication that the PDP and the Presidency are the puppeteers behind the election shift campaign than Wednesday’s newspaper advertorial plainly campaigning for the polls to be shifted.
”This advert, which has the picture of President Goodluck Jonathan and the logo of the PDP – meaning they will be the sole beneficiaries of the postponement they are seeking – leaves no one in doubt that the ruling party and the presidency are pathologically dishonest, deliberately deceptive and chronically terrified about the elections,” Mr. Mohammed said.
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