EXCITING NEWS: TNG WhatsApp Channel is LIVE…
Subscribe for FREE to get LIVE NEWS UPDATE. Click here to subscribe!
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on Saturday expressed their disappointment at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for postponing the general elections scheduled to commence today with the presidential and national assembly elections.
Recall that the electoral umpire early on Saturday morning announced its decision to suspend the elections citing logistical reasons.
In a television broadcast early Saturday morning, the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakub Mahmood said: “Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections, the Commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible.
“Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February 2019. Furthermore, the govemorship, state House of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections is rescheduled to Saturday 9th March 2019.
“This will afford the Commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections.
“This was a difficult decision for the Commission to take, but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of our democracy.
“The Commission will meet key stakeholders to update them on this development at 2pm on Saturday, l6th February 2019 at the Abuja International Conference Centre.”
However, the aggrieved residents insisted that INEC must have had prior knowledge of the logistical challenges and should have postponed earlier other than the very day the election was scheduled to hold. The blamed the electoral body for insisting all was well and expressing its readiness to conduct the pools despite some obvious lapses.
A tour of major cities around the nation’s capital by TNG crew show that roads and markets were deserted with little or no commercial activity going on.
A visibly disappointed voter who still had his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in hand at the Galadimawa round about said he never anticipated that the polls will be postponed. He said everything seemed perfect considering statements from the INEC chairman himself prior to Saturday.
“I really don’t understand what is going on. This country is so used to taking her citizens for granted. How can you postpone elections on the very day that the election was scheduled to commence? Does that not show that something is fishy? Funny enough the chairman and his team haven’t said anything tangible. Only God knows if the election will be conducted as rescheduled,” the enthusiastic voter said.
A shop owner who managed to open for commercial activities at the Garki area after the announcement of the suspension of the poll decried low patronage insisting she was closing for the day after speaking with TNG crew.
“I wanted to key into the moment and say if I can make some money so that the entire day will not be wasted since they have suspended the polls. Unfortunately, people have refused to leave their houses for fear of the unknown. I can count the number of people that have passed by my shop since I opened. Everywhere is silent like the country is in a mourning mood. I am also going back home as soon as I’m done speaking with you.The authorities must have a way of compensating us for this loss. Anyways, whether they postpone or not, I have made up my mind and I’ll still vote for my preferred candidate next week that is if they don’t postpone again”, she said.
A South African based businessman who flew in into the country purposely to observe his civil responsibility said he regretted coming home in the first place. According to him, the nation still has a lot to learn election wise. He said his business abroad will have to suffer because he decided to be patriotic.
“I can’t imagine abandoning my business and coming home to face this mess. Must this happen every four years during elections? Can’t this INEC guys just get once and for all? The handwriting should have been on the wall for them to see a long time ago. Who postpones elections on the very day of the elections? This is the worst I’ve seen of this country. If they ever conduct this election, I’m never trying the expensive mistake of coming back home to vote again if they don’t find a way to implement diaspora voting. I’m so disappointed,” Chukwu said.