Election postponement: Voters, parties express mixed reactions

By Fidelis Mac-Leva, Abbas Jimoh & Saawua Terzungwe

A cross section of Nigerians and some political parties have expressed mixed reactions to the postponement of the governorship and state assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Daily Trust reports that INEC on Wednesday night postponed the earlier scheduled March 11 governorship and state assembly elections to March 18, 2023.

The commission, in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the postponement was a result of the litigation against the electoral body.

He said following Wednesday’s ruling by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the reconfiguration of the BVAS used for the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, the commission met to assess its impact on its preparations for the governorship and state house of assembly elections scheduled for March 11, 2023.

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Mixed reactions have trailed the postponement from political parties and some Nigerians. While some welcomed the development, others said they were disappointed with INEC even as others cautioned the electoral body not to do anything that would erode the confidence in them by Nigerians.

Speaking with Daily Trust in Kano, Salihu Tanko, the governorship candidate of the PRP, said there was no reason for INEC to be failing in terms of logistics and operations.

“Secondly there is no issue with IReV; one of the reasons I decided to contest is that of confidence in the process based on INEC’s assurances. I was given so much assurance by INEC and the presidency but IReV failed on the Election Day and now INEC has shifted the next round of election,” Tanko said.

Habibu Abdullahi, a Kano-based voter, said the shift in the earlier election date would only add more pressure on the electorate who would have wanted to vote once and for all.

“INEC should have allowed this election to go ahead once and for all. People are suffering and we just want to get over with the elections and face other things,” Abdullahi said.

In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, residents who spoke with Daily Trust expressed mixed feelings. While some said the move by INEC would correct some irregularities that characterised the March 25 election, others said INEC was not ready in the first place.

Adamu Musa, an Abuja resident, said it was a welcome development because the previous election witnessed a lot of controversies. “Therefore in order to resolve those controversies, it is best that INEC postponed the earlier date to sort things out.

“INEC wants to reconfigure BVAS but the aggrieved parties are feeling suspicious and the court has given INEC the nod. So it is better for them to take some time and do the right thing,” Musa said.

Another resident who wouldn’t want to be named said the postponement was an indication that INEC was not ready. “Without having negative intentions, why would somebody postpone an election when everybody was eager and ready to cast their votes? The postponement also has a negative effect on others, like students whose schools were shut to enable them to go and vote,” he said.

Similar reactions were expressed by respondents in Adamawa and Benue who, however, expressed the hope that the rescheduled date would be maintained.

Moses Yisa and Akuji ShiAondo who spoke in Makurdi expressed disappointment but were hopeful that Nigerians would go out to exercise their franchise on March 18.

Political parties react

The main opposition PDP alleged that the postponement of the governorship and state assembly elections is to allow the INEC to manipulate the process and further erase evidence from the last election.

Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the party, told Daily Trust that having failed to adhere to its laws, rules and the Electoral Act, Nigerians no longer trust INEC to conduct a credible exercise.

“What this extension will allow INEC is to continue to manipulate and possibly erase evidence that petitioners will require to prove their case.”

He insisted that INEC should have allowed parties to inspect the BVAS and move the elections so that they can do the inspection themselves, adding that the issue that INEC will back up the data is not believable because technology has shown that even in the case where you are backing up data into the cloud, there is the high possibility of loss of data.

“The issue is not about who wins or who does not; it is about following the rules and laws, and who is going to monitor what they are doing,” he said.

On his part, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Committee (LPPCC) spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko, who did not oppose the date shift, said his concern is for INEC not to meddle with the figures or configuration of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Equally speaking, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Victor Ike Oye, told Daily Trust that, “There was nothing wrong with the decision of the Court of Appeal granting INEC the right to reconfigure the BVAS.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba, said the decision came as a result of the short time left for the commission to carry out the necessary reconfiguration of the BVAS, taking into consideration that the judicial action of the Court of Appeal granting the commission permission came in much later in the day yesterday, meaning that the day was lost on the part of the commission to be able to work.

The ruling APC said it has no choice than to respect INEC’s decision and plan again to win next week’s elections.

National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, said political parties have no say in the matter as it concerns the court and INEC.

“INEC brought an application that was granted by the court. INEC said they needed time to reconfigure the BVAS machines in preparation for the state elections and the court granted that application; it gave INEC the authority to reconfigure the BVAS machines.

“And because INEC needs some time, INEC decided that the election is no longer tenable on the 11th and postponed it to 18th.

“So we political parties don’t have a choice or even a say in the matter; we will simply make adjustments and have our candidates ready to run the elections on the 18th as decided by INEC,” he said.