The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Tuesday that it would conduct elections in states under emergency rule, if the security situation in those states improved.
The commission’s spokesperson, Kayode Idowu, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
Mr. Idowu explained that it was obvious that elections could not hold under the present security situation in the states.
He, however, said that the commission would conduct elections in the states if the security situation improved before the 2015 general elections.
“It is simple logic that state of emergency is martial rule in which armed soldiers are in control of daily routine in these states.
“So INEC cannot deploy its workers to these areas and cannot also guarantee the safety of the electorate,” Mr. Idowu said.
However, INEC expressed the hope that the security situation would improve to enable it to conduct the 2015 general elections.
Meanwhile, Alaba Yusuf, the Media Advisor to the Chairman of People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), said INEC should allow voters in the three states exercise their franchise.
Mr. Yusuf also said that INEC should consult with the political parties before taking a decision to hold general elections in February 2015.
The Chairman of INEC, Atahiru Jega, had earlier said that the commission would prefer to hold the general elections in February 2015.
He said that the measure was necessary to enable the commission address likely challenges that could arise from the elections before the actual hand over to a new government in May.
Mr. Jega also said that elections might likely not hold in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in 2015.
(NAN)

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