National Security Adviser calls for postponement of polls

monjola sotubo

January 22, 2015 11:15 PM

Sambo Dasuki made the call on Thursday, January 22, while speaking in London at a think-tank in Chatham House.

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2015 general elections slated to begin in February.

Dasuki made the call on Thursday, January 22, while speaking in London at a think-tank in Chatham House.

The NSA said further that he had advised the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega that postponing the elections for another three months would be a good idea.

Dasuki stated that this would give the election handlers more time to distribute Permanent Voters Cards (PVC).

According to him, said INEC had distributed 30 million cards in 2014 but had another 30 million left.

“It costs you nothing, it's still within the law,” Dasuki said he had told the INEC chairman.

The plan to postpone has however been opposed by the All Progressives Congress, the main opposition party.

The APC said via a statement released on Thursday that the planned postponement was a delay tactic orchestrated by President Goodluck Jonathan.

“After realizing it will be rejected by Nigerians who have borne the brunt of its mis-governance over the years, after realizing that its campaign of calumny against our presidential candidate has failed, the Jonathan Administration has now started to play its last card, which is the postponement of the election,” the statement read.

“Why are they not ready? Why should we postpone? We say 'no' to postponement,” spokesperson of the APC, Lai Mohammed said to Reuters.

“They know that if they don't postpone they can't win. They are just terrified,” he added.

Nigeria’s Presidential election is scheduled to hold on February 14 with the two major contenders being President Jonathan and APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

monjola sotubo