Elections: Political scientists call for another postponement

Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) Monday called for further postponement of the general elections in order to pave way for free, fair and credible exercise.

A statement issued by its President, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review the electoral process and consider if one week would be enough to address all the identified lapses.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu had in the wee hours of the last Saturday when Nigerians were expecting the presidential and national assembly elections to take off, announced its suspension over logistic lapses.

The association, however, called on the electoral empire to stand firm to resist all ‘forces of rigging that will subvert the people’s mandate just as it called for the prosecution of the saboteurs involved in the cancellation of the polls.

 “INEC should stand firm and resist all forces of rigging and subversion of the peoples’ mandate. INEC should immediately avail the names of the ‘saboteurs’ so that the hunter will become the hunted and the confidence level of the citizens will improve.

“INEC should review the electoral process and consider if one week will be substantial for dealing with dislocations and imperfections noted in the electoral process. More than ever, the citizens will be happier if elections are further postponed now and at long last harvest free, fair and credible elections.

“INEC should not hesitate to consult and integrate the NPSA in the planning and execution of the electoral programmes. We are ready to partner with INEC to deliver the best elections of our time and by so doing contributing to peace, development and projection of the Nigerian state.

“INEC should resist all forms of interferences from the government, political gladiators and non-governmental agencies with a view to expressing in practical terms her independence and capacity to deliver on her constitutional mandate’’, the association said.

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