President Muhammadu Buhari
heavily criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when it
postponed the 2015 general elections.
Then a candidate of the APC, Mr
Buhari also criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of
systematic rigging.
On February 8, 2015, six days
away, INEC postponed the February 14 presidential election by six weeks citing
insecurity.
The elections commission chief,
Attahiru Jega, said the delay until 28 March was necessary because of
heightened insecurity that could affect the safety of election personnel,
voters and materials, especially in the troubled North-east region.
Few days to the election when it
started becoming clear that it would be postponed, Mr Buhari criticised the
commission for considering postponement. He would later win the rescheduled
polls.
After the latest postponement
under Mr Buhari as president, the video of his interview was re-circulated by
Channel 4 News.
“It took INEC one month to work
out…I see no reason why we should postpone it,” Mr Buhari said when asked by
the planned postponement of 2015.
“There are 14 local governments
where there is (security) problem; 10 in Borno, two in Your, two in Adamawa.
And there and 774 local governments in Nigeria. Should we postpone the election
because of 14 local governments?”
Mr Buhari suggested that even
with Boko Haram onslaught, the electoral umpire ought to go ahead.
“Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria
were fighting wars and they conducted elections, what is Boko Haram?” he said,
dismissing the reporter.
Mr Buhari, however, asked his
supporters to take advantage of the postponement to further mobilise support
among Nigerians.
Mr Buhari also accused PDP of
engineering the postponement to avoid a defeat; but appealed for calm among his
supporters.
“I wish to appeal for utmost
restraint and calm by all Nigerians, especially the teeming supporters of our
great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“It is important to note that
although INEC acted within its constitutional powers, it is clear that it has
been boxed into a situation where it has had to bow to pressure. Thus, the
independence of INEC has been gravely compromised,” he said.
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