Reactions have trailed the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Niger State.
The Peoples Democratic Party in the state described the postponement “as an embarrassment,” while the All Progressives Congress concluded that that the “whole issue is sad”.
The PDP State Chairman, Alhaji Tanko Beji, in a statement described the whole saga as “sad and very regrettable,” adding: “This is an unacceptable decision by the INEC which came a few hours to the conduct of the election which we as a party had prepared for and was set to win.
“The action of INEC has not only ridiculed the nation in the eyes of the International community but has called to serious question the integrity of the Chairman and other members of the commission.”
Beji therefore asked the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and other members to resign because they have “lost the confidence of Nigerians”.
Also, the state Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Aminu Liman, described the postponement as sad, adding that it has also brought to question the much acclaimed integrity of the chairman and members of the Commission.
Also, the Niger State Coordinator, Campaign for Democracy, Alhaji Abdullahi Jabi, regretted the action of INEC but said: “Now that the election has been postponed INEC should put its house in order to forestall a future occurrence.
“The is not the time to apportion blame. We should all join hands with INEC to ensure it conducts a hitch free election as from Saturday.”