INEC shifts governorship poll in Kaduna, Bauchi

Prof. Attahiru Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission has postponed next Tuesday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections in Bauchi and Kaduna states to April 28.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who disclosed this during a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, said that the shift became imperative beacuse the security situation in the two states remained a source of concern.
Bauchi and Kaduna states are among the 10 states in the Northern part of the country that were rocked by riots over the outcome of the April 16 presidential election.
Jega explained that the commission’s decision was in tandem with Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
He said, “In the past few days, the commission in conjunction with security agencies, the National Youth Service Corps and political parties, has carefully been assessing the feasibility of holding the upcoming April 26 elections in the states most affected by the violence.
“The assessment shows that there is marked improvement in security in some of the states for the elections to hold.
“However, in others, specifically Kaduna and Bauchi states, the security situation remains a source of concern.”
The INEC chairman also hinted that a state of emergency might be declared in the affected states, if by April 28, the commission was unable to conduct polls in them, to meet the timeline set out by law.
The constitution stipulates that no election should take place 30 days before handing over on May 29.
Besides, governorship and state assembly polls, suspended National Assembly elections are to be affected by the shift.
Details showed that five federal constituency elections and one Senate seat could not hold on April 9, and were to be conducted along with the governorship and state assembly polls.
Explaining the possibility of a state of emergency in Bauchi and Kaduna states if polls did not take place there before April 29, Jega said, “The provision of the constitution categorically states that no elections will take place 30 days before the handing over date.
“And the handing over date defined in the constitution is May 29. So it means no election can take place between April 29 and May 29. So any place that we cannot hold elections before April 29 cannot take place until May 29.
“What that implies is that there will not be a legally constituted executive in any such state by May 29. This further implies that a state of emergency may probably have to be declared in that state because you can’t allow a vacuum.
“So, this has to be avoided and we are doing everything possible to ensure that we don’t get to a situation where a state of emergency will be declared.
“If it is possible we will do our best to hold elections in all the states before April 29.
According to him, there are people who want states of emergency declared in many of the states where post-election violence have occurred for some unclear reasons.
However, he added that the commission was not willing to play into the hands of these people as the security situation was under close watch
But he explained that, “If the situation changes appropriate reviews and decisions will be taken but for now we think elections can take place except in those two states by April 26 and the remaining by April 28.
“Let us not forget, that there are people out there who really want a state of emergency to be declared in some of these states for some very odd reason. I don’t think we should allow that kind of thing to happen.”
On the threat by some corps members affected by the riots to stay away from polling booths on April 26, Jega said they might be replaced by those who also took part in the training conducted by the commission.
Jega condemned the violence and advised people aggrieved with the outcome of the elections to express their grievances through the right channels and not take laws into their hands.
Sympathising with the affected corps members, he said the commission understood that some of them might be afraid and unwilling to participate in the polls.
He also said the security arrangement was been made to those who wished to continue to participate in the exercise.
Jega said, “Everybody who saw what the NYSC have done at the polling units, have praised them and nobody can say that any NYSC in any polling unit has rigged any result.
“So what have they done? Why should they be targeted and attacked and assaulted and their properties destroyed?
“Some people who lost in the elections can be angry and they can be aggrieved, but it does not mean we should lose our senses.
“We must do things right. Killing innocent people is wrong.”
By Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu and Allwell Okpi            Courtesy Of: Punch