The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has said he has no control over when the general election will hold.
Rather, Jega said it is now heavily dependent on the military.
Speaking on Wednesday when he appeared before the Senate, Jega said the Commission had done its part of the job and was now waiting on the military to give the go ahead for the elections to be conducted.
He said this following a question by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, on the preparedness of INEC to conduct the elections as rescheduled for March 28 and April 11.
He said only the military could determine the sanctity of the dates.
Jega said: “Senator George Akume asked me to state categorically whether I can guarantee the sanctity of the March 28 and April 11 dates for the general election.
“I think it is a very difficult question to answer.
“I have said consistently that there are things under the control of the electoral commission and there are things that are not under its control.
“For things that are under our control, I can give definite and categorical assurances.
“On what is not under our control, it is futile.
“It is fruitless and useless to give a definite guarantee on them.
“I think that question should be directed appropriately.
“The questions of security, I will leave it.
“I don’t think I am competent to answer it sufficiently.”
Jega, however, urged Nigerians to also be fair to the military.
He said like any other Nigerian, the military is also patriotic and that it would be unfair to hold the elections in an atmosphere of insecurity.
He said: “We should also be fair to the military.
“Soldiers are also patriotic Nigerians.
“Let us give them the benefit of doubt.
“I don’t see how anybody will contemplate any extension beyond these six weeks.
“There is no constitutional grounds upon which you can do that.
“It will only have to be unconstitutional.
“I don’t see how anybody will contemplate any unconstitutional means.
“For us, we work by the constitution, by the law and as far as we are concerned, that is what is guiding us and we should all put the interest of the nation at heart.
“The human factor is always significant.
“It is always important, but we believe that working together with security and other stakeholders, we should be able to prevent negative human intervention that can create problems.
“I kept saying consistently that INEC is not a security organisation.
“We are an election management body, so we rely a lot on security to be able to ensure that things are done well and that there is no disruption of the electoral process.
“We have been working very closely with the Inter Agencies Consultative Committee on election security and that is why for us, if the Service Chiefs say that we can’t guarantee security, give us more time, what is the alternative security arrangements?
“If we consulted with the stakeholders and we cannot find an answer, what happens?
“We are going to use close to 700,000 ad hoc staff.
“We can’t send people to the field in that kind of a situation.
“Our hope and prayer is that in the next six weeks, there will be significant improvement in the security situation for us to be holding elections all over this country in a very secured environment.
“There are certain questions that we are not really competent to answer.
“Certain questions should be directed to the military.
“They can answer it better.”
Trending
- French-American player backs Rivers Hoopers to spring surprises at 2024 Basketball Africa League
- NNPCL, First E&P achieve 20,000bpd production at OML 85
- Nigeria: The changing governance story, by Temitope Ajayi
- Access Holdings’ shareholders back capital raising, hail Aig-Imoukhuede’s return
- Transcorp Power Plc records 775% PBT jump in Q1 2024
- Court remands man for allegedly defiling daughter
- Okuama killing: Army releases detained traditional ruler to Senator + Photos
- Stakeholders, organisers rename Nigeria’s FA Cup