John Shiklam
22 April 2011
Lagos — The Independent Election Monitoring Group (IEMG), Thursday appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider postponing the conduct of the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in states that were rocked by bloody violence to avoid further bloodshed.
The group, while noting the post election violence that erupted in Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Niger, Katsina, and Maiduguri, Sokoto, Bauchi, Taraba and Nasarawa states which led to the destruction of lives and property, called on INEC and the top hierarchy of the security forces to reassess the conduct of the remaining elections in these states on a case by case basis and where necessary consider postponing the conduct of elections in there to avoid further breakdown of law and order.
The IEMG in a statement by its national Coordinator, Mr. Festus Okoye said the current situation of things on the ground in those states was not conducive for the conduct of the remaining elections. Okoye noted that as a result of the violence, “so many people lost their lives and others lost their loved ones in the deadly riots. “A large number of people have been displaced and are taking shelter in Police and army formations in the various states.
“So many people lost their homes and properties during the period of the crisis. There are people still looking for their loved ones and cannot move on account of the curfew in some of the states.
“So many people are living in fear and trepidation as to the next steps given the ethnic and religious dimension the deadly riots took in some of the states of the federation. “The rioters killed some Youth Corp members who form the bulk of Presiding Officers. Nigerians must be seen to be sensitive to the plight of persons that lost their loved ones and their properties in the crisis.
The statement further noted that although there are some constitutional implications in the postponement going by Section 178 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which requires the INEC to organise Governorship Elections not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of office of the last holder of that office.
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