The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the Edo State governorship elections earlier stated for Saturday, September 10.
INEC says the election will now hold on Wednesday, September 28, 2016. The agency made the U-turn on Thursday evening, few hours after it had said that it would go ahead with the election against the advise of Nigerian security agencies.
The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) had advised INEC to postpone the governorship election scheduled for Saturday for security reasons.
The two security agencies said the advise was based on credible intelligence at its disposal, which suggests that insurgents are planning to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets, with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Governor Oshiomhole described the decision as a set back for the state.
He frowned at the time it took the electoral body to make the decision, which he said affects the parties’ programmes.
He said that if INEC had given the hint earlier that the election would be postponed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have also postponed its final rally to suit the new election date.
The Governor also reacted to allegations that his party was behind the postponement of the election by stating that none of the other parties was as ready as the APC for Saturday’s election.
He argued that the large turnout of supporters at the party’s final campaign rally on Tuesday was an indication that Edo State was indeed an APC state.
He maintained that the only issue that involved him as the Governor of the state was INEC’s decision to fix the election to coincide with the West African Examination Council (WAEC), GCE examination, which led to protests by students of the state.
“INEC ought to have known that the West African Examination calendar was out there. It is not something they fix two or three weeks to the time,” he said.
The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) had advised INEC to postpone the governorship election scheduled for Saturday for security reasons.
The two security agencies said the advise was based on credible intelligence at its disposal, which suggests that insurgents are planning to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets, with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Governor Oshiomhole described the decision as a set back for the state.
He frowned at the time it took the electoral body to make the decision, which he said affects the parties’ programmes.
He said that if INEC had given the hint earlier that the election would be postponed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have also postponed its final rally to suit the new election date.
The Governor also reacted to allegations that his party was behind the postponement of the election by stating that none of the other parties was as ready as the APC for Saturday’s election.
He argued that the large turnout of supporters at the party’s final campaign rally on Tuesday was an indication that Edo State was indeed an APC state.
He maintained that the only issue that involved him as the Governor of the state was INEC’s decision to fix the election to coincide with the West African Examination Council (WAEC), GCE examination, which led to protests by students of the state.
“INEC ought to have known that the West African Examination calendar was out there. It is not something they fix two or three weeks to the time,” he said.
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