INEC’s Independence Compromised – Buhari

Inec

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Muhammadu Buhari has decried that the independence of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has been “gravely compromised” by the postponement of the February elections.

“Although INEC acted within its constitutional powers, it is clear that it has been boxed into a situation where it has had to bow to pressure. Thus, the independence of INEC has been gravely compromised,” Muhammadu Buhari told a news conference in Abuja.

The electoral body had on Saturday announced that the general elections earlier stated for February 14 and 28 had been postponed by six weeks, citing security concerns.

While the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the postponement, the APC had condemned it. The party’s National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, in a statement shortly after INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega announced the postponement, said the reasons advanced for the postponement were not genuine.

According to him, the party would meet in an emergency session to study the implications of the postponement and will inform Nigerians of its decisions in the next few days. He appealed to the party’s supporters to remain calm even though what INEC did was provocative.