President of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Nasir Fagge, has expressed displeasure over the postponement of the general elections, saying there was no justification for it.
Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the security issue which the shifting of the polls was predicated on was not sufficient.
NAN recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission had on Saturday night announced the rescheduling of the polls from February 14 and February 28 to March 28 and April 11.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who announced the shift in a news conference in Abuja, said that Presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for February 14 would now hold on March 28.
Similarly, he said that governorship and states’ Houses of Assembly election was shifted from February 28 to April 11.
He gave security advice from the service chiefs as reason for postponing the elections.
Fagge said that the nation’s security chiefs ought to have alerted INEC well ahead of time, of their inability to guarantee security during the elections.
He said that the current development would not speak well of Nigeria before international communities.
He expressed doubt if the six weeks extension would be enough to tackle the security issue believed to be the major reason for postponing the elections.
“However, if the election umpire has been convinced enough to have the elections postponed, especially as it concerns security, then let us give them the benefit of doubt.
“All I can say at this point is to call on Nigerians to organize themselves very well and keep their eyes open.
“I also want to seize this opportunity to appeal to them to use this period to ensure that they collect their voter cards and ensure that they do not only vote but also ensure that their votes count,” Fagge said.
Commenting on the issue, a teacher at the University of Lagos, Prof. Solomon Akinboye, said there was nothing wrong with the postponement of the polls’ change in dates as long as it did not affect the hand-over date.
Akinboye, who is Head, Department of Political Science at the university, said that since INEC had given reasons for postponing the elections, Nigerians were left with no choice than to accept it. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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