THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been commended for allowing the political parties and their candidates continue with their campaigns following the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections to this Saturday in line with Electoral Act which allows campaigns to end 48 hours before the date of election just as a total independence for the electoral umpire has been advocated as the best panacea to electoral embarrassment that the country is facing every election year.
The commendation was made by the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Shehu Musa Gabam who described the recent postponement of the presidential and national elections as the best for the country considering the reasons that necessitated the action.
National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Musa Gabam while reacting to the postponement during a chat with Journalists in his Tilden Fulani country home in Toro LGA of Bauchi state declared that though INEC took Nigerians by surprise, it took the decision in best national interest that has saved the country from impending national disaster.
The SDP Scribe opined that though the postponement was painful to Nigerians at the long run it will be better for the country as INEC will use the period of the postponement to correct every mistake noticed before Saturday when the decision to postpone the election was taken.
He, however, declared that INEC should have known that the situation was irredeemable before Saturday considering the events proceeding the postponement agreeing that the natural phenomenon that necessitated the action cannot be controlled.
He further said that they were a bit apprehensive and angry about the postponement of the elections at the last minute by the electoral body saying, “Most of us have not anticipated that, the elections were to be postponed. We have all travelled back home in preparations for the elections. But unfortunately, due to some circumstances perhaps beyond the control of INEC, that election wasn’t possible.”
He added that “We are not happy about the INEC decision absolutely and I don’t think there is any political party or any stakeholder that was happy with the decision. All of us thought that the decision wasn’t taken in good faith at the initial stage. So when I saw the Press Conference by the National chairman of INEC and he stated the reasons why the election was postponed and his later Press briefing where he invited the stakeholders and told them why the election was postponed.”
Shehu Gabam also said that “We were a bit apprehensive until when there was a comprehensive press conference detailing the circumstances for the postponement of the elections,” explaining that the INEC Chairman had outlined and informed Nigerians about the logistics and other challenges faced by INEC including plans to sabotage all its efforts.
The SDP National Secretary however commended the INEC Chairman for informing Nigerians about the circumstances leading to the postponement especially the hundreds of litigations in courts against the Commission but noted that, there is no justification for the production of sensitive materials to be delayed as proactive measures should have been taken by INEC because it had enough time to have strategically deposited the materials with the CBN long ago.
He added that, although he has been criticising INEC on its unpreparedness to conduct the elections, Nigerians should remain patient and give INEC the benefit of the doubt till the rescheduled dates and noted that the interest of the country should be paramount to all Nigerians reminding that, “elections come and go while the country remains.”
The SDP National Secretary also said that the political class should be conscious of what they say as regards to national issues hoping that the elections will be conducted in a free and fair way which will be accepted by all and called on INEC to ensure that, the rescheduled date remains sacrosanct as enough time had been given for all the preparations.
He warned that any failure to adhere to the rescheduled date may plunge the country into unforeseen chaos which may undermine the country’s democracy.
On the blame-trading between the ruling APC and opposing PDP Shehu Gabam declared that, “these two parties are the major problem of the country. PDP was in power for 16 years and is the foundation of the country’s problem while APC has refused to learn in the past four years of its leadership. So they don’t have the moral right to heat up the polity.”
He added that politicians in the country particularly those in the two political parties of APC and PDP are only heating up the political scene calling on them to calm down and allow peace to reign in the country.
Shehu Musa Gabam then expressed confidence that INEC will deliver a free, fair and credible election which will be accepted by Nigerians calling for support for the electoral umpire by all and sundry in the country.
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