Anger and frustration have greeted the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the general election earlier slated for February 16 and March 2, 2019.
INEC chairman Mahmoud Yakubu earlier Saturday morning, told journalists that it has to postpone the polls due to some logistical challenges especially in Taraba state, among others.
The election is now scheduled to hold on February 23 and March 9, 2019 respectively.
As at Thursday, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, the leader of Nigeria electoral body had assured that it was ready to conduct a free, fair and credible election on Saturday.
However, Blueprint spoke with some residents of Jikwoyi, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who expressed their anger with the electoral umpires ‘unilateral’ decision to shift the elections forward.
An angry Man who identified himself as Henry, said INEC’s action was a grand plan by the APC to rig the elections in their favour.
In his words: “Na their plan but e no go work,” he said.
At the vendor’s stand at phase two junction, it was a very chaotic scene with ‘free readers’ having a go at each other over INEC’s decision on the elections.
In a chat with our correspondent, 70-year-old Charles Onyedika, believed INEC should have made the announcement earlier.
According to him, people are not angry about the postponement but the circumstance surrounding it, which was not right.
“There is anger and frustration about INEC’s decision to suddenly postpone an election that people have wasted time and money to prepare for. Some people traveled to the village to vote and now the election has been shifted forward by a week. How would they feel. It’s sad and painful.”
Our correspondent who visited some polling units revealed pockets of people gathered discussing the issue.
At the chief’s palace and the government secondary school in Karu, it was disserted except for INEC’s poster pasted on the wall of one of the class rooms.
For a very disappointed Godwin Ugoche, INEC’s action would discourage voters.
“Nigerian democracy has developed and people now know that their votes matters.
“This actions by INEC brings their credibility into questions-postponing an election few hours before it commences. INEC is up to something,” he said.
