By Efio-Ita Nyok
Information reaching our news/politics desks suggest that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC under the leadership of her czar, Professor Attahiru Jega, has finally calved into pressure to shift the 2015 general elections once scheduled for 14 and 28 February 2015 to 28 March and 11 April respectively.
The presidential and national assembly polls will hold on 28 March while the state elections will hold on 11 April.This decision was announced yesterday night by the INEC boss, Prof. Jega in a press briefing in Abuja.
According to the INEC Chair, the decision to postpone elections was arrived at after the military formally notified INEC of their decision not to partake in the general elections on 14 and 28 February. And further meetings with stakeholders.
According to the military, Nigeria’s armed forces are on a 6 weeks programme to tackle the Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast of Nigeria beginning from 14 February.
It seem to me that the decision of the military brass not to partake in the 14 February date was a ploy by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP and President Jonathan to frustrate the election of 14 February, Since the powers that be couldn’t pressurise Jega into postponing elections after the Council of State meetings where Jega expressed readiness to conduct elections on the said date.
Other quarters are of the opinion that INEC is comfortable with that decision owing to the fact that, though they had wanted to do the biddings of their boss, Mr. Jonathan, they hadn’t a justification.It is here that the military came in handy as the stooge of the Presidency and the PDP.
So, it could be said that the Presidency through her appendage in the military blackmailed INEC into postponing elections. My prayers is that the presidency will not come up with another tactics if the 28 March and 11 April schedule is perceived not to be favourable to her.
