By BEN AGANDE
ABUJA—AS exclusively reported by Vanguard, yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the postponement of the governorship elections in Kaduna and Bauchi states because of the precarious security situations in the two states.
2010 General Election INEC Chairman Prof. Attairu Jega addressing Pressmen on 2011 General Election while INEC Commissioner Ismaile Igbani (middle) and other s look on during the briefing in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said at a news conference, yesterday, that the postponement would allow for tension to calm down and also allow the commission to secure additional personnel in case members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, were scared because of recent developments.
Jega also debunked allegations by the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, that the Excel sheet used in the collation of the results by INEC was skewed against the party.
He said that instead of holding the elections on April 26, 2011, the elections in Bauchi and Kaduna states would be held on April 28, adding that the commission acted based on reports from security agencies.
Jega said: “In the past few days, the Commission, in conjunction with security agencies, NYSC and the political parties has carefully been assessing the feasibility of holding the upcoming April 26 elections in the states most affected by the violence.
The assessment shows that there is marked improvement in security in some of the states for the election to hold. However, in others, specifically Kaduna and Bauchi states, the security remains a source of concern. Consequently, the commission is constrained to postpone the April elections in the two states in accordance with Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) from April 26 to April 28, 2010.”
He explained that the commission could not postpone the elections beyond two days because doing so would be in violation of the electoral law which provides that no election should be held thirty days before the swearing in of another governor.
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