Update: Jega’s meeting with political parties ends

The meeting with political parties convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the possibility of shifting next week’s polls has ended. Some of the party officials who spoke to journalists after the meeting said the final decision was left for the commission to take, but there were divergent views about the main subject […]

The meeting with political parties convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the possibility of shifting next week’s polls has ended.
Some of the party officials who spoke to journalists after the meeting said the final decision was left for the commission to take, but there were divergent views about the main subject matter of the meeting.

However, The Associated Press reported that the commission had agreed to postpone the Feb. 14 presidential and legislative elections for six weeks to give a new multinational force time to secure northeastern areas under the sway of Boko Haram.

After the meeting, the All Progressives Congress (APC) led parties who kicked against the shift of the polls, despite the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) advice to shift the polls by six weeks.

Proponents of the parties against the shift, led by the PDM national chairman, Bashir Yusuf said they kicked against shift because the security managers had earlier assured of the adequate security and that the parties, as critical stakeholders, were not informed.
But the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national vice chairman, Uche Secondus said the lives of the Nigerian masses were the utmost and was far beyond the conduct of any elections.

Both opposing views however had a consensus that only INEC could make the final decision about whether to go ahead with the elections or not.
Two more meetings with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Residents Electoral Commissioners (RECs) will be held later on Saturday before the commission will announce its stand.

Twenty-five out of the 26 political parties attended the meeting, which is unusual as regards INEC’s routine meetings with the parties.
Earlier, a heated argument and quarrel by the two factions of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), consisting both of chairman and secretary, led to their expulsion from the meeting, and are presently being held by the security agencies.
Weekly Trust learnt that one of the factions, recognised and invited by the commission, was not in support of the polls shift, while the other faction would have supported the calls for the shift at the meeting.
INEC chairman, Professor Jega said at the opening of the meeting that due to the new challenge facing the commission, the parties were invited to offer their input on how to approach the impending problem.

Weekly Trust also observed that there has been heavy security presence in all the roads leading to the commission, with only recognised participants being allowed to approach the commission.
The presidency is pushing for a postponement of the polls citing security reasons and yet to be collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The opposition is however kicking against postponement as they believe the presidency was out to use a shift in date to reinvent itself and get gain undue advantage.

On Thursday, President Goodluck Jonathan convened a council of state meeting consisting former heads of state, Chief Justices of the Federation, sitting governors and services chiefs to garner support for a possible postponement.

The council which is advisory said the elections should go on but that INEC boss needed to have a meeting with stakeholders to take a final decision.