REUTERS – Nigeria may delay its Feb. 14 presidential election if the electoral commission cannot distribute enough voter I.D. cards by Feb. 8, an electoral commissioner told Reuters on Wednesday.

The hotly contested poll will pit President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People’s Democratic Party against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.

“Let’s see how the PVC (permanent voter card) distribution goes by Feb. 8, then maybe,” Amina Zachary, a commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said on the sidelines of a news conference when asked whether or not the date could be changed.

She made it clear that no decision had been taken. INEC extended its deadline for voters to collect their cards to Feb. 8, but only 44 million out of 68.8 million have been distributed so far, with just 10 days to go before the poll.

Foreign powers are closely observing how elections will be held in Africa’s biggest economy and have voiced concerns over violence in the aftermath, as was the case after the 2011 election, when 800 people died.

A delay would stoke already rising tensions ahead of the vote, but failure to get enough cards out would also compromise the poll.

National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki caused outrage when he called for a postponement in London last month, citing concerns over the slow distribution of voter cards.

The opposition and civil society groups say a delay would bring the credibility of the election into question and they say People’s Democratic Party wants a postponement because it fears losing. But they are also concerned about the slow collection of cards by voters.

The main issue is the uneven distribution across the states as the total is already higher than the number that voted in 2011, Zachary said.

Out of Nigeria’s 36 states and its federal capital territory, Abuja, 11 have distributed less than 60 percent of the cards while 4 of those are below 50 percent.

Lagos, the most populous state and opposition stronghold, has distributed fewer than 40 percent of its voter cards.

“We’ve sometimes just had one person at some distribution stations … now we put two but the cost is very high … it has eaten up all the money as we have to pay INEC staff extra for staying late,” Zachary said, lamenting a lack of volunteers.



http://www.newspunch.org/official-well-postpone-feb-14th-election-if-inec/

Someone should please warn INEC not to set this country on fire ooo. The people are firmly ready to participate and INEC should not allow themselves to be wrongly influenced.


February 14 election must hold and the people are ready.

Obinoscopy, lalasticala, ishilove. E don happen ooo

Obiagelli, berem, Barcanista, donphilous, omenka, gbawe, pendy79, caseless this people don start their ojoro oooo

bros forget they won't shift the date. it is not possible for now and you know "America must know" first.

the world is watching and lets see how Bishop Oyedepo will return him to Aso Rock

FeBUHARI 14th is the day of reckoning. Elections must not be postponed.

Jonathan should brace up for defeat and start warming up for his send-out party to Otuoke.

Nigerians want change!

why is it just PDPings that wants this election postponed?

This script is gathering momentum.

postpone it.....it wont CHANGE the fact that GEJ will lose

postpone it.....it wont CHANGE the fact that GEJ will lose
.
.the fear of GMB is the beginning of CHANGE

Interesting...



JEGA, if you allow for a postponement at this stage toh... I fear for your reputation and how you will be perceived back home.

Cos the reasons PDP wants the postponement is known to all


Stick to the 14th kawai!

Lia Lia they must not postpone this election

inec can never achieve 95% collection due to various factors such as deaths,relocation,general apathy. We should be contemplating postponement when the pvcs are not ready for collection.but in this case they are.so the arguement of pvc as an excuse for postponement does not hold water.

januzaj:
postpone it.....it wont CHANGE the fact that GEJ will lose
.
.the fear of GMB is the beginning of CHANGE

na you won make am lose? abeg Jonathan till 2019 jor.

INEC must not postpone the poll. The postponement is unacceptable abd shall be resisted by all. Jonathan should not cause constitutional crises. Nigerians want #Buhari and that is FINAL

clevvermind:
na you won make am lose? abeg Jonathan till 2019 jor.

e b lyk say fear don dey catch you

Are we ever ready for anything in nigeria? Nawao

If what....nonsense.

The election must hold ...the numbers has surpassed the last election. So what...

januzaj:
e b lyk say fear don dey catch you

no fear. i dey kamkpe.

Postponing the election date does not mean GEJ will be in Aso Rock after 29th or MAY. Election can hold Mar14, 14 Apr. or any other date as far as the hand over date is on 29th may.

What INEC can shif is election date not hand over date. Constitution never states that election must be 14 of February.

Inec should allow people use their temporary cards. Election must hold on the 14th.

It is really discouraging, we Nigeria seriously contribute to our woes. I do not think the problem is entirely INEC's. I went to collect my PVC just last week, but was aghast by the sheer number of PVC there that were yet to be collected, it was plenty. The INEC official even claimed that they close very early sometimes as people hardly show up to collect their PVC. INEC should not postpone the Election, political parties, more especially the opposition needs to harp more on the collection of PVCs' by the Electorates, without it, how can the change come.

Any one asking for a shift in election date because of PVC distribution has an ulterior motive, INEC has all the 68 million cards ready, anyone ready to vote should collect it on or before Feb. 8. roughly 70% of voters have collected theirs, a pass mark in my opinion.

What those fraudsters asking for a shift in election should be doing is canvassing that the fg declare at least a day of public holiday, and possibly a return of distribution process via polling units instead of wards and LGA, as Lagos state has started today.

No to TVC, we must use PVC, and election must hold on feb. 14

MARKone:
It is really discouraging, we Nigeria seriously contribute to our woes. I do not think the problem is entirely INEC's. I went to collect my PVC just last week, but was aghast by the sheer number of PVC there that ate yet to be collected, it was plenty. The INEC official even claimed that they close very early sometimes as people hardly show up to collect their PVC. INEC should not postpone the Election, political parties, more especially the opposition needs to harp more on the collection of PVCs' by the Electorates, without it, how can the change come.

The boldened is an issue that is not INECs failure. INEC is not perfect and messed up somewhat, but it has done relatively well so far. INEC officials must also not close earlier than the supposed time, because they perceived electorates are not coming to pick their PVC, some electorates are chanced at the late hour of the day.

Alphaoscar:
Someone should please warn INEC not to set this country on fire ooo. The people are firmly ready to participate and INEC should not allow themselves to be wrongly influenced.


February 14 election must hold and the people are ready.

Noise maker

ishiamu:


Noise maker

Can you get your stupidity out of my mention?

Alphaoscar:




Can you get your stupidity out of my mention?

Check your IQ if you've not gone insane