…Urges voters to turnout on new dates
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Tuesday, said polls shift by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) puts the commission’s integrity and capacity to deliver free and fair election in doubt.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National Chairman, PRP, Alhaji Falalu Bello, while stating the party’s position over the postponement of the 2019 election to February 23 and March 9 respectively.
Bello, who described the shift as unfortunate and sad, said, “INEC has failed to learn any lesson from previous mistakes and shortcoming in planning and executing the logistical requirement for elections in Nigeria”.
He further stated that INEC failed to give prior notice to candidates, political parties and electorates including observers of postponement of the elections as it was the case of postponement of 2011 and 2015 general elections respectively, which at least sufficient prior notice of the postponement was given to Nigerians.
The statement reads in part, “The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) as well as the majority of the 84 million registered voters in Nigeria are still in shock of the unfortunate postponement of the rescheduled 2019 General Elections.
“The sheer enormity of the colossal waste of human and material resources for both public and private that this has entailed is beyond comprehension. This is not to talk of the erosion of confidence in the capacity and integrity of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver on its mandate.
“It is rather unfortunate and sad that INEC has failed to learn any lesson from previous mistakes and shortcoming in planning and executing the logistical requirement for elections in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, previous shortcomings in 2011 and 2015 which necessitated the postponement of planned elections were even better handled than the recent situation, as at least sufficient prior notice of the postponement was given to the Nigerian public in the past.
“In the circumstances, the damage has already been done and it would be pointless to continue crying over spilled milk. What is crucial now is to do all that can be done to limit the damage and to proffer short and long term solutions for a more efficient and effective management of Nigeria’s electoral processes.
“It is also of paramount importance that INEC does everything to ensure that all election materials already distributed are properly secured and safeguarded to ensure the integrity of the exercise.”
The party also in the statement appealed to voters to come out and exercise their franchise on the new dates of the elections, “The PRP appeals to all registered voters to persevere and to continue to remain committed to their civic responsibility of coming out in their numbers to elect the people that would take charge at the helms of the affairs of this country in the next four years.”
However, the party demanded INEC to render official apology to Nigerians over the short notice in shifting the elections as “literally demoralized many who sacrificed their meager resources in these hard times to travel to their respective registered polling areas for the vote including ad hoc employees who were subjected to all manner of hardship in preparing for the elections.”
“What is particularly disheartening in the present case is the arrogance exhibited by the Commission who despite accepting responsibility for the failure, however still failed to tender any apology to the electorate and INECs numerous stakeholders and ad hoc employees who were subjected to all manner of hardship in preparing for the elections”, the statement added.
