Politics

Edo 2016: Don’t postpone election again, CDHR warns INEC

Published

8 years ago

September 14, 2016

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has warned against another postponement of the Edo State governorship election.

The civil society group also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to carefully consider any further call for another postponement, adding that shift in the election date from Saturday, September 10 to September 28 has greatly affected the logistics of civil society organizations, as well as local and foreign observer groups.

It would be recalled that INEC had postponed the Edo election after both the Department of State Services, DSS and the Nigeria Police Force said it had credible intelligence that insurgents and extreemists plan to attack some states during the Eid El-Kabir festivities, including Edo State.

Similarly, the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, on Monday, called on INEC to postpone the election again, citing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in the state.

“In terms of cost in the entire logistics of this exercise, this postponement is a total disaster and waste for INEC itself, the political parties that have mobilised, the civil society organizations and observer groups both local and international who have mobilised but have to demobilize,” Malachy Ugwummadu, chairman of CDHR said.

While the CDHR admitted that INEC had the “discretion and prerogative” to postpone an already scheduled gubernatorial election pursuant to Section 26 (1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2010, Ugwummadu warned INEC not to entertain another “insecurity” excuse.

He said: “One of such conditions upon which it can be postponed is insecurity. Thus, if the foremost security agencies i.e. police and DSS have raised security concerns, it is for the Commission to ascertain that the grounds given are both verifiable and cogent as provided for S.26(1)of the EA.

What is the assurance that another security situation will not be cited in a fortnight when it has been postponed to within which time it cannot be further postponed in view of the constitutional time limit?”, he asked.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

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