UPDATE! Deadlock as INEC Could'nt Reach Agreement to Shift Poll

 

The meeting between the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, and the nation’s resident electoral commissioners has ended in a deadlock, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The deadlock follows the rejection of the proposal to shift the elections by 21 RECs who insisted that election must go on as planned.

However, the RECs have agreed to support the poll shift on two conditions. Firstly that Mr. Jega must extract commitment from the Presidency and security agencies that further extension will not be required after six weeks.



“RECs need a guarantee that there will not be further postponement after the six weeks they are demanding,” our source said.

He also said the second condition was that the commission should be allowed to decide how long the postponement should last.

“The feeling is that outside forces, especially the security agencies, should not be the ones to decide how long to shift the elections. That should be solely decided by INEC,” he said.
To this end, it was agreed that Mr. Jega should consult with the presidency and security agencies, after which another meeting will hold by 8pm.

“The Chairman will then brief the RECs on the outcome of his consultations,” our said.

INEC has all day been holding consultative meetings with political parties, civil society organisations and the RECs with a view to taking decision on whether to or not postpone the general elections scheduled for February 14 and 28.

Source: Premium times