Polls shift: Lawmaker says INEC must ensure elections meet international standards

A member of Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has said that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the rescheduled elections meet international standards.

Oyintiloye, representing APC-Obokun, while reacting to the postponement of the elections by INEC said, the development was genuinely upsetting in view of the level of readiness of ordinary Nigerians to exercise their civic duty.

It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had postponed Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections to February 23.

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

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, attributed this to logistic and operational problems.

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According to the lawmaker, the postponement of the elections would have ripples effect on all stakeholders including political parties not only in terms of unbudgeted expenses but physical and psychological effects.

Oyintiloye, who is the House Committee Charman on Information and Strategic, however, opined that if the decision of the INEC was in the best interest of the advancement of democracy and ensuring that the 2019 elections were successful there was the need for everyone to align with the commission.

The Lawmaker urged Nigerians to accept the postponement in good faith.

“If the decision will enable them to organise a flawless election, why not?”

“The burden of proof is on INEC, all stakeholders must abide by the rules, all supporters of political parties and candidates must put their hand on deck”

“We should believe INEC that this temporal setback should yield to better election management in the overall interest of democracy in Nigeria”

Oyintiloye appealed to INEC to puts its house in order and safeguard all materials distributed so that nothing undermines the integrity of the process.