Nigeria 2015 Polls: Postponing Election Was A Grave Decision - INEC

In an exclusive interview with SaharaTV, Kayode Idowu the Spokesman for the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) said that “[postponing the election] was a grave decision” involving many government agencies before final authorization was made. His comment was in response to President Jonathan’s statement during a media chat that the election postponement was “no big deal.”

Mr. Idowu was adamant during his interview with SaharaTV that “the elections will not be postponed again” and that “INEC is not even considering the possibility” that Nigeria’s Security Chiefs would request another postponement.

Mr. Idowu stated that the presidential ballots found in London last week, causing some controversy in the media, have now been safely moved and INEC is now in possession of them.

One concern the Spokesman addressed is that only 70 percent of INEC Personal Voting Cards (PVCs) have been collected by Nigerian citizens, which Mr. Idowu attributes to the “culture of Nigerians” to procrastinate until the final minute. He added that with the news of election postponement individual collection of the PVCs has already dropped.

Mr. Idowu also went on record to say that reports that INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega secretly met with All Progressives Congress (APC) party leaders in Dubai to rig elections are totally false. He also wanted to reassure the Nigerian public that there are no so-called, “super-commissioners” secretly possessing influence over Chairman Jega are also false.

The Spokesman also announced that INEC anticipates it will announce the successful presidential candidate no later than 48 hours after polls close.