Plot For Postponement Of 2015 Elections Thickens As Jega Calls off Media Briefing

As final readiness for the general elections gather draws near, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, Wednesday called off the much awaited media briefing on the readiness of INEC for the big task reports Sahara Reporters.

It was known why the INEC boss called off the event, which was to take place in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The Council of State is expected to deliberate on election matters on tomorrow.

Jega was expected to clear issue of reports about the possible postponement of the elections, even though he has repeatedly restated the elections would go on as scheduled.

According the major opposition party All Progressives Congress, APC, Jega has been under intense pressure to shift the polls and his chat with the media would have laid rumour to rest.

INEC has recently faced logistics challenges, one of which is the poor distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards.

This challenge has forced INEC to shift the deadline for PVC collection to Sunday, 8 February, 2015.

The distribution of the cards to be used to vote in the 2015 general elections which will kick off on 14 February was earlier scheduled to end last Saturday.

According to INEC, the extension was to give registered voters yet to collect their PVCs the chance to do so in readiness for the February 2015 general elections.

“INEC hereby calls on duly registered persons not to delay in going to collect their cards before the expiration of the new deadline.

“The Commission reaffirms its determination to make the 2015 elections free, fair, credible and peaceful; and urges all stakeholders, including voters, to spare no effort in working towards the same objective,” Kayode Idowu, INEC’s spokesman said.

Another troubling dimension to the preparations of INEC is the report that contract has just been awarded for the printing of ballot papers for the presidential election on 14 February, a time considered too near for the papers to be delivered to INEC and to be distributed nationwide.

INEC is also expected to train over 900,000 ad hoc staff for the elections.