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NIGERIA: Poll Postponement: Jonathan’s Men Support National Security Adviser Dasuki
http://www.africaeagle.com/2015/01/nigeria-poll-postponement-jonathans-men.html
Furious that national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega is not lifting a finger to help the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan like some other heads of Federal Government agencies, the electoral umpire has come under intense attack from close associates of the president.
Specifically, the presidency has been discreetly pushing for the postponement of the February polls in view of the continued rise in public support for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
After weeks of intense campaign by proxy to mobilize support for postponement of the polls, the presidency eventually gave official backing to the widely condemned plot on Thursday when President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) revealed at the London think-tank Chatham House that he had actually asked Prof Jega to consider shifting the election dates citing incomplete distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as justification.
The NSA said he had told Jega that a postponement within the three months allowed by the Electoral Act would be a good idea, adding that INEC had distributed only 30 million PVCs in 2014, with another 30 million left.
He said while INEC had assured him the distribution would be completed for the February polls, he believed it would be more meaningful to allow more time for a successful election.
“It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law”, Dasuki said he had told the INEC chairman, according to Reuters reports. The NSA, however, said it was for INEC to decide.
Saturday Sun gathered that the frequent attack on Jega by President Jonathan’s kinsman and staunch supporter, Chief Edwin Clark may not be unconnected to this same plot to beat the former university don into line and get him to play ball.
Just last weekend while playing host to some PDP campaign groups, Chief Clark alleged that the INEC chairman was making frantic efforts to ensure that the President Jonathan who is the PDP presidential candidate, did not win next month election.
The Ijaw leader further alleged that Professor Jega was desperate to create 30,000 polling units with phantom voting population “to ensure that Jonathan doesn’t come back.”
“It is disgraceful that Jega whom we thought was an upright man has allowed ethnicity and religion to take control of him”, he added.
It was gathered that faced with the unpalatable reality of a tough election in about three weeks, several ministers and heads of federal agencies, who had in 2011 rolled out personal and public funds to support the ruling party’s campaign, have instead opted to channel such resources to mobilize support for a shift in the election time table.
In the same vein, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Lagos State, Chief Olabode George yesterday supported calls for the postponement of the election by the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki(retd). George, who spoke at a press conference in his Ikoyi office, Lagos, said Nigeria needs a breather, especially for the issues mentioned by the NSA to be addressed.
George said: “The NSA sees things deeper than any of us. So, many people have not got their PVCs in Lagos and they will be disenfranchised. I have not collected mine. There are logistic problems but calling for a postponement of the election does not mean it will be conducted after May 29. The NSA must ensure there is peace in the land. If we have a breather, all well and good, this will give INEC time to distribute the PVCs. I have no objection if it is done because because of what the NSA said.” This is coming as former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro led the Lagos Goodluck/Sambo Independent Campaign Group on a road show yesterday to drum up support for the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan. The road show started from Dopemu along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway through major streets in Lagos West senatorial district.
It was a funfair as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters danced through the streets, distributing leaflets and canvassing support for the Jonathan/ Sambo ticket. Addressing supporters, Obanikoro reiterated the need for Nigerians to vote for President Jonathan in the February 14 presidential poll. He expressed dismay over the distribution of PVCs in Lagos State, but said he does not support calls for the postponement of the February polls. According to him: “We are not impressed with INEC over the distribution of PVCs which would make or mar this election. With about 43 per cent collection rate, there is still a lot of work to be done before the elections.
“We are, however, not in support of any postponement of this election, rather we want INEC to put its house in order and ensure enough eligible Nigerians are allowed to vote.” Meanwhile, George, who is also a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, said 2015 is a critical year in the history of Nigeria, so the country must get it right. He said all the NSA wants is to ensure that there is peace in the land, pointing out that a postponement of the elections does not mean it would hold after May 29. However, the PDP leader appealed to Nigerians to eschew religious and ethnic bigotry, stating that the peace of the country should be paramount at this moment.
“My appeal now to all Nigerians is that we should eschew ethnic and religious bigotry. Let us put Nigeria first, let us come together in harmony and peaceful association. Let us all promote merit instead of nepotism, let us all promote observable knowledge instead of cronyism,” he said. “This is our collective fight, this is our collective struggle, enough of this charlatanism. Enough of this rampant fraud and lies.”
George, while stressing the need for a change in the administration of Lagos State, in the next election, noted: “Our nation is in good hands at the national level, but in our Lagos, power must change hands”. Furthermore, he said: “We must now embrace new vision and new leadership. Lagosians should now search their conscience and stop and ponder whether this APC government has made any meaningful contributions to their lives in the last 16 years. Whatever decision we make at the polls in February will have lasting impact on the lives of all voters, including the next generation.”
Also speaking on the same issue, former Transport minister and PDP chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said only Jega can resolve the controversy over the postponemnt. His words: “It is now left for Jega to clear the air. Jega must come out and tell the whole world what is happening.My advice to him is that he should ensure that INEC conducts credible and free elections without favour or bias for anybody, party or group.”
He however added: “As for me and my party, PDP, we are prepared for the elections. INEC has told us that the election will come up on February 14 and we are preparing for it. The ball is now in INEC court, to tell us and, in fact, the whole world the level of its preparations for the election. It is not for us to tell INEC to postpone the polls so that INEC would not have any reason or excuse to pass the buck to us. For us, we hold the February 14 sacrosanct until INEC tells us otherwise.”
Source: The Sun
Specifically, the presidency has been discreetly pushing for the postponement of the February polls in view of the continued rise in public support for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
After weeks of intense campaign by proxy to mobilize support for postponement of the polls, the presidency eventually gave official backing to the widely condemned plot on Thursday when President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) revealed at the London think-tank Chatham House that he had actually asked Prof Jega to consider shifting the election dates citing incomplete distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as justification.
The NSA said he had told Jega that a postponement within the three months allowed by the Electoral Act would be a good idea, adding that INEC had distributed only 30 million PVCs in 2014, with another 30 million left.
He said while INEC had assured him the distribution would be completed for the February polls, he believed it would be more meaningful to allow more time for a successful election.
“It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law”, Dasuki said he had told the INEC chairman, according to Reuters reports. The NSA, however, said it was for INEC to decide.
Saturday Sun gathered that the frequent attack on Jega by President Jonathan’s kinsman and staunch supporter, Chief Edwin Clark may not be unconnected to this same plot to beat the former university don into line and get him to play ball.
Just last weekend while playing host to some PDP campaign groups, Chief Clark alleged that the INEC chairman was making frantic efforts to ensure that the President Jonathan who is the PDP presidential candidate, did not win next month election.
The Ijaw leader further alleged that Professor Jega was desperate to create 30,000 polling units with phantom voting population “to ensure that Jonathan doesn’t come back.”
“It is disgraceful that Jega whom we thought was an upright man has allowed ethnicity and religion to take control of him”, he added.
It was gathered that faced with the unpalatable reality of a tough election in about three weeks, several ministers and heads of federal agencies, who had in 2011 rolled out personal and public funds to support the ruling party’s campaign, have instead opted to channel such resources to mobilize support for a shift in the election time table.
In the same vein, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Lagos State, Chief Olabode George yesterday supported calls for the postponement of the election by the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki(retd). George, who spoke at a press conference in his Ikoyi office, Lagos, said Nigeria needs a breather, especially for the issues mentioned by the NSA to be addressed.
George said: “The NSA sees things deeper than any of us. So, many people have not got their PVCs in Lagos and they will be disenfranchised. I have not collected mine. There are logistic problems but calling for a postponement of the election does not mean it will be conducted after May 29. The NSA must ensure there is peace in the land. If we have a breather, all well and good, this will give INEC time to distribute the PVCs. I have no objection if it is done because because of what the NSA said.” This is coming as former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro led the Lagos Goodluck/Sambo Independent Campaign Group on a road show yesterday to drum up support for the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan. The road show started from Dopemu along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway through major streets in Lagos West senatorial district.
It was a funfair as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters danced through the streets, distributing leaflets and canvassing support for the Jonathan/ Sambo ticket. Addressing supporters, Obanikoro reiterated the need for Nigerians to vote for President Jonathan in the February 14 presidential poll. He expressed dismay over the distribution of PVCs in Lagos State, but said he does not support calls for the postponement of the February polls. According to him: “We are not impressed with INEC over the distribution of PVCs which would make or mar this election. With about 43 per cent collection rate, there is still a lot of work to be done before the elections.
“We are, however, not in support of any postponement of this election, rather we want INEC to put its house in order and ensure enough eligible Nigerians are allowed to vote.” Meanwhile, George, who is also a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, said 2015 is a critical year in the history of Nigeria, so the country must get it right. He said all the NSA wants is to ensure that there is peace in the land, pointing out that a postponement of the elections does not mean it would hold after May 29. However, the PDP leader appealed to Nigerians to eschew religious and ethnic bigotry, stating that the peace of the country should be paramount at this moment.
“My appeal now to all Nigerians is that we should eschew ethnic and religious bigotry. Let us put Nigeria first, let us come together in harmony and peaceful association. Let us all promote merit instead of nepotism, let us all promote observable knowledge instead of cronyism,” he said. “This is our collective fight, this is our collective struggle, enough of this charlatanism. Enough of this rampant fraud and lies.”
George, while stressing the need for a change in the administration of Lagos State, in the next election, noted: “Our nation is in good hands at the national level, but in our Lagos, power must change hands”. Furthermore, he said: “We must now embrace new vision and new leadership. Lagosians should now search their conscience and stop and ponder whether this APC government has made any meaningful contributions to their lives in the last 16 years. Whatever decision we make at the polls in February will have lasting impact on the lives of all voters, including the next generation.”
Also speaking on the same issue, former Transport minister and PDP chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said only Jega can resolve the controversy over the postponemnt. His words: “It is now left for Jega to clear the air. Jega must come out and tell the whole world what is happening.My advice to him is that he should ensure that INEC conducts credible and free elections without favour or bias for anybody, party or group.”
He however added: “As for me and my party, PDP, we are prepared for the elections. INEC has told us that the election will come up on February 14 and we are preparing for it. The ball is now in INEC court, to tell us and, in fact, the whole world the level of its preparations for the election. It is not for us to tell INEC to postpone the polls so that INEC would not have any reason or excuse to pass the buck to us. For us, we hold the February 14 sacrosanct until INEC tells us otherwise.”
Source: The Sun
