INEC’s reasons for postponement not tenable – Buhari Group

The Buhari Youth Organisation, Lagos Chapter, has said INEC’s reasons for the postponement of elections were not tenable, urging the government to beam its searchlight into the commission’s activities.
This is contained in a statement by the group in Lagos, following the announcement of the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled to hold on today, February 16.
The statement was jointly signed by Kunle Aderibigbe and Jide Bakare, the State Secretary and, the Media and Publicity Secretary of BYO respectively.
The group called on all its members and supporters nationwide to remain calm but with their two eyes opened to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.
It said: “We condemn in its entirety the pronouncement of INEC to postpone the Presidential and National Assembly as well as the Gubernatorial/House of Assembly Elections to February 23 and March 9, respectively.
“This, coming barely hours to the commencement of voting in the wee hours of February 16, is a sign of negligence of duty by the electoral umpire.
“It is also an indication that there is more that meets the eye in the unfolding event. How can you postpone an election just few hours to its commencement,” the group said in the statement.”
The group said that the President and other arms of government had done their bit to ensure INEC was fully equipped with all resorces needed to carry out its constitutional responsibility.
According to the statement, no part of the nation is under any dire security risk that will hinder INEC from discharging its duty, as was the case in 2015, when a mop up of the Boko Haram insurgents was required in some parts of Borno State.
It said: “Therefore, the excuse for postponement based on logistics was not tenable, acceptable nor logical. We reject it in its entirety.”
The group said that INEC did not consider millions of Nigerians, who left their businesses and comfort to travel to their various political bases to exercise their franchise.
It added: “Same for many Nigerians who came from abroad, who travelled home for this purpose.
“Aside the hundreds of millions of naira that will be wasted by this decision, millions of people will also be disenfranchised by pronouncement by our electoral umpire.
“Many will not make another return trip, as INEC can no longer be trusted. A case of once beaten, twice shy.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, attributed the postponement of all the scheduled elections to logistic and operational challenges.