Authorities push back presidential and legislative election to March 28, over security threat posed by Boko Haram. Nigeria's opposition parties have slammed a decision to postpone the February 14 general election, calling it "a setback for democracy".
The electoral commission said it was postponing the vote by six weeks citing the security threat posed by the armed group Boko Haram. Supporters of the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, have backed the decision, but officials and residents in the restive Borno state say the vote should go ahead as planned.
Can security be sorted out in just six weeks? And what will the decision mean for an already volatile political environment?
Let take a look at INEC official statement:
Authorities
push back presidential and legislative election to March 28, over security
threat posed by Boko Haram. Nigeria's opposition parties have slammed a
decision to postpone the February 14 general election, calling it "a
setback for democracy".
The electoral commission said it was postponing the vote by six weeks citing the security threat posed by the armed group Boko Haram. Supporters of the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, have backed the decision, but officials and residents in the restive Borno state say the vote should go ahead as planned.
Can
security be sorted out in just six weeks? And what will the decision mean for
an already volatile political environment?
Let take a look at INEC official statement:
Full
INEC official statement on postponement of 2015 elections
STATEMENT ON THE TIMETABLE FOR 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROFESSOR ATTAHIRU M. JEGA, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON FEBRUARY 07th, 2015.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Introduction:
We invited you here today to make known the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the timetable for the 2015 general elections. Let me state from the outset that the Commission’s position was reached after carefully weighing the suggestions from briefings held with different stakeholders in the electoral process.
The
conduct of elections in a country like Nigeria is invariably a collective
venture that involves not just the Election Management Body (EMB), but also a
diverse range of stakeholders, notably security agencies, political parties and
their candidates, voters, as well as interest groups, such as the civil society
organizations and the media. To guarantee successful conduct of elections,
there are things that are wholly the responsibility of the EMB. But there are
other things critical for the success of elections, which fall outside the
control of the EMB.
In
other words, while INEC must work hard to perfect its systems and processes for
conducting elections, and take responsibility for any imperfections thereof,
whatever the Commission does may not by itself be sufficient to guarantee the
success of elections. There are a number of issues in the preparation and
conduct of an election, the most critical of which is security, which is not
under the control of INEC.
Current State of INEC’s Preparedness
On
Thursday, February 5, 2015, I was invited to brief the National Council of
State, which is the highest advisory to the President comprising past and
present leaders in Nigeria, on the level of preparedness of INEC to conduct the
2015 general elections. I made a presentation to the Council titled
‘Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report,’ in which I gave
a detailed account of what the Commission has been doing in readiness for the
national elections (National Assembly and Presidential) scheduled for February
14th, and the state elections (Governorship and State Assembly) scheduled for
February 28th, 2015.
The
summary of my presentation to the National Council of State meeting is that,
for matters under its control, INEC is substantially ready for the general
elections as scheduled, despite discernible challenges being encountered with
some of its processes like the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by
registered members of the public.
In
addition, INEC has been doing everything it can to facilitate the collection of
the PVCs by registered members of the public. As at 5th February 2015, the
total number of PVCs collected was 45, 829, 808, representing 66.58% of the
total number of registered voters.
In
the delivery and deployment of electoral materials, INEC is also at a comfort
level in its readiness for the general elections as scheduled (see the
presentation to the Council of State). The Commission’s preparations are not
yet perfect or fully accomplished. But our level of preparedness, despite a few
challenges, is sufficient to conduct free, fair and credible elections as
scheduled on February 14th and February 28th. Compared with 2011 when, within a
short time, we conducted general elections that were universally adjudged free,
fair and credible and the best in Nigeria’s recent electoral history, our
processes are today better refined, more robust and therefore capable of
delivering even better elections.
Other Variables:
But
as I mentioned earlier, there are some other variables equally crucial for
successful conduct of the 2015 general elections that are outside the control
of INEC. One important variable is security for the elections.
While the Commission has a very good working relationship with all security agencies, especially on the platform of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) since its inception in 2010, it has become pertinent for it to seriously consider the security advisory presented to it by the Security and Intelligence Services. I would like to reiterate here that INEC is an EMB and not a security agency. It relies on the security services to provide a safe environment for personnel, voters, election observers and election materials to conduct elections wherever it deploys. Where the security services strongly advise otherwise, it would be unconscionable of the Commission to deploy personnel and call voters out in such a situation.
Last Wednesday, which was a day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.
This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections.
While the Commission has a very good working relationship with all security agencies, especially on the platform of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) since its inception in 2010, it has become pertinent for it to seriously consider the security advisory presented to it by the Security and Intelligence Services. I would like to reiterate here that INEC is an EMB and not a security agency. It relies on the security services to provide a safe environment for personnel, voters, election observers and election materials to conduct elections wherever it deploys. Where the security services strongly advise otherwise, it would be unconscionable of the Commission to deploy personnel and call voters out in such a situation.
Last Wednesday, which was a day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.
This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections.
INEC’s Decision:
We have done wide ranging consultation to enable us have as much input as is
necessary before taking an informed decision. In the series of consultations
that we held with stakeholders, the questions consistently posed to them for
consideration are:
In
view of the latest development, should INEC proceed with the conduct of the
general elections as scheduled in spite of this strong advice; and if so, what
alternative security arrangements are available to be put in place? Or, should
INEC take the advice and adjust the schedules of the general elections within
the framework of Constitutional provisions?
The
Commission held a meeting after the consultations, and decided to take the
advice of the Security Chiefs and adjust the dates of the elections. We have
done this relying on Section 26(1) of the Electoral 2010 (As Amended), which
states thus: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election,
and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to
occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to
conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies,
the Commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area, or
areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed
election, provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and
verifiable”.
INEC not being a security agency that could by itself guarantee protection for personnel and materials, as well as voters during elections, the Commission cannot lightly wave off the advice by the nation’s Security Chiefs. The Commission is specifically concerned about the security of our ad hoc staff who constitute at least 600,000 young men and women, together with our regular staff, voters, election observers as well as election materials painstakingly acquired over the last one and half years. This concern is limited not just to the areas in the North-eastern part of Nigeria experiencing insurgency; the risk of deploying young men and women and calling people to exercise their democratic rights in a situation where their security cannot be guaranteed is a most onerous responsibility. Under such circumstances, few EMBs across the world, if any, would contemplate proceeding with the elections as scheduled. No matter the extent of INEC’s preparedness, therefore, if the security of personnel, voters, election observers and election materials cannot be guaranteed, the life of innocent young men and women as well the prospects of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections would be greatly jeopardised.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the 2015 general elections thus: the national elections (i.e. Presidential and National Assembly) are now to hold on March 28th, 2015; while the state elections (Governorship and State Assembly) are to hold on April 11th, 2015. It should be noted that this rescheduling falls within the constitutional framework for the conduct of the elections, notably, Sections 76(2), 116(2), 132(2) and 178(2). See also Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).
For
the avoidance of doubt, we will under no circumstances approve an arrangement
that is not in line with the provisions of our laws. Our hope is that with this
rescheduling, the security services will do their best to ensure that the
security environment needed for safe and peaceful conduct of the 2015 elections
is rapidly put in place.
We in INEC reassure all Nigerians and indeed the international community of our commitment to do everything within the law and to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. We call on the security agencies to honour their commitment to restore sufficient normalcy for elections to take place within the period of extension. We also call on Nigerians, political parties, candidates and all other stakeholders to accept this decision in good faith and ensure the maintenance of peace.
We in INEC reassure all Nigerians and indeed the international community of our commitment to do everything within the law and to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. We call on the security agencies to honour their commitment to restore sufficient normalcy for elections to take place within the period of extension. We also call on Nigerians, political parties, candidates and all other stakeholders to accept this decision in good faith and ensure the maintenance of peace.
As
for us in INEC we’ll endeavour to use the period of the extension to keep on
perfecting our systems and processes for conducting the best elections in
Nigeria’s history. In particular, we believe that we would resolve all
outstanding issues related to non-collection of PVCs, which agitate the minds
of many Nigerians.
Finally,
we wish to call on all Nigerians to accept our decision, which is taken in good
faith and the best interest of deepening democracy ion our country.
Thank
you.
Professor
Attahiru M. Jega, OFR
Chairman,
INEC
This
Decision as made The Former President talking, Here is what he has to say;
Former
President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised fears that the political posturing of
President Goodluck Jonathan – using the military to delay scheduled election –
might invite a military coup on the country.
“The
signs are not auspicious,” Mr. Obasanjo told the Financial Times in an
interview in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. “I don’t know whether a script is
being played.”
“I
sincerely hope that the president is not going for broke and saying ‘look
dammit, it’s either I have it or nobody has it’. I hope that we will not have a
coup,I hope we can avoid it.”
There
have been concerns among opposition activists and civil society that Mr.
Jonathan is excessively courting the armed forces and dragging them into
politics.
National
elections, earlier billed for February 14 and 28, were rescheduled for March 28
and April 11 following a “strong advisory” and a warning from the National
Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and military chiefs that they could not
guarantee security for the polls.
The
opposition All Progressives Congress has accused the military of being used by
the Jonathan administration to scuttle the election after it had earlier given
a clear commitment to provide security for the elections just three days before
making a volte-face.
Many
Nigerians also expressed concern when the Nigerian Army addressed a press
conference in January, saying it did not have the original certificates of
Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate Mr. Jonathan’s party is
battling to disqualify from running.
And
just recently, a leaked audio recording suggested that Mr. Jonathan ordered the
military to rig last year’s Ekiti governorship election in favour of his party,
the Peoples Democratic Party.
In
his interview with the Financial Times, Mr. Obasanjo said the military,
especially the army, is in bad shape and had not been properly led.
“It’s
a question of leadership — political and military,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “I think
you need to ask [Mr Jonathan] how has he let [the army] go to this extent.Many
things went wrong: recruitment went wrong; training went wrong; morale went
down; motivation not there; corruption was deeply ingrained; welfare was bad.”
There are suggestions Mr. Jonathan would prefer to hand over to the military rather than Mr. Buhari if he loses the coming presidential election, but there is so far no clear-cut evidence to suggest that, although the APC has repeatedly alleged that the president’s party is in cahoot with the military to rig the coming election.
In the interview published Tuesday, Mr. Obasanjo, a card-carrying member of the PDP, openly endorsed opposition candidate, Mr. Buhari, saying he is best for Nigeria at this time.
The
APC candidate is a former military head of state, who ruled Nigeria between
December 1983 and August 1985.
“The circumstances [Mr. Buhari] will be working under if he wins the election are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature — he knows that,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “He’s smart enough. He’s educated enough. He’s experienced enough. Why shouldn’t I support him?”
Mr. Obasanjo has repeatedly accused Mr. Jonathan of deepening corruption in Nigeria and mismanaging public funds.
Speaking about the financial crisis facing the country as a result of the crash in crude oil prices, Mr. Obasanjo sees some positives in the development.
“There’ll be less in the pot, for stealing or corruption,” the paper quoted him as saying.