The governorship and House of Assembly as well as FCT area council elections have also been shifted from March 2 to March 9.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed NAN report of the shift of the elections, attributing this to logistic and operational problems.

The spokesman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun, Mr Taiwo Akeju, in a telephone interview with NAN in Osogbo on Saturday described the postponement of the elections as saddening and disheartening.

Akeju said the postponement was a bad omen for Nigeria's democracy and an unfortunate turn of events.

He said the decision would dampen the spirit of Nigerians, adding that there would be dire consequences for such action.

What INEC has done has put Nigeria's democracy in bad light before the international community.

The postponement is a very bad omen, it is not good for our democracy and the image of the country.

Until yesterday, INEC had assured that the elections would hold and that they have no excuse to shift the elections now.

What now happened between then and now? This is not too good for our democracy, Akeju said.

Also speaking, Mr Bisi Sunday, the Public Relations Officer of the PDP, told NAN that with the postponement of the elections, INEC was no longer independent.

Sunday said the postponement of the elections was a bad omen and not good for the image of the country.

We did not expect this postponement at all. How can INEC postpone the elections few hours to the exercise?.

This is gross abuse of office and it is saddening and this clearly shows that INEC is no longer independent.

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We have mobilised our supporter across the state for the elections and now they called the process off.

This will affect the morale of the people, Sunday said.