The Accord Party governorship candidate in Abia state, Emeka Uwakolam, has expressed disappointment over the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).
DAILY POST had reported that INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, while addressing reporters at the press centre of the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Saturday said that the polls would not go on as planned due to some challenges encountered by the commission.
He explained that the decision to postpone the general elections followed a careful review of the implementation of the logistics and operational plans put in place for the exercise.
But, speaking in a interview with newsmen, on Sunday in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, Uwakolam lamented the inability of the nation’s electoral body to hold the February 16 general elections.
He explained that the development had exposed the alleged incompetence of the Professor Yakubu-led INEC in conducting credible elections in the country, urging the Nigeria electorates to remain calm despite what he termed the provocative action of the electoral commission.
His words, “It is very reckless for INEC to postpone the national elections. INEC should have forestalled everything that would have made them postpone the election. It is a sign of incompetence.
” I believe that INEC is not giving Nigerians the confidence to go into this election. Because, whatever that would have caused the postponement, should have been forestalled. Four years ago, we knew, we are going to hold election this period, so what are they shouting logistics for?
“They should have made every arrangement to make sure that they stick to date. Nigeria is above this kind of electoral system. To me, I believe, is either something was about to happen, it was forestalled or to forestall something else to happen. In whichever way, Nigerians will not have that confidence.
” And I believe, the electoral body has exhibited high level of incompetence. I’m not happy about it. Do you know how many billions of naira that had gone into the preparation for these elections? It will mainly affect political parties that are not in power. They must have spent a lot of money believing last Saturday was an election day.
“This is another way to handicap political parties that have not been in government. And again, a lot of Nigerians left their destinations to their hometowns, to be able to vote. Now, the whole resources have gone down,nobody is ready to say anything about that. No compensation whatsoever. It is very unfortunate,” he said.
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