16th February, 2019
A human rights lawyer, Mr Mohammed Suleiman, has appealed to Nigerians to remain law abiding by not engaging in acts capable of creating tension, due to the postponement of the general election.
Suleiman stressed on the need to remain calm, while awaiting the new the date rescheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He made the appeal on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The legal practitioner, who expressed disappointment with the postponement, urged the electoral body to make adequate preparations ahead of next Saturday’s election.
Suleiman also appealed to INEC to provide level playing ground to all political parties, while praying for free, fair and peaceful election.
INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had announced that the election earlier scheduled for Feb. 16 and March 2 had been rescheduled for Feb. 23 and March 9, respectively.
But residents of Katsina metropolis in Katsina state considered the postponement as a political sabotage towards their kinsmen President Muhammadu Buhari.
A cross section of those interviewed by NAN on Saturday in Katsina, said INEC made shoddy arrangements for the election to tarnish the image of the President.
“The Federal Government under the leadership of Buhari has provided all necessary support and assistance to INEC to conduct a credible election but it has failed Nigerians by shifting the election,” Malam Usman Mohammed a youth Leader and member of Katsina Development Association said.
Mohammed said INEC had consistently claimed to be ready for the election only to turn round few hours to the election to say a different thing.
Mohammed said the electorate had mobilised to cast their vote for Buhari, only to be told that the election was postponed.
A media consultant in Katsina, Mr James Auta said that the shifting of the election has the capacity of causing voter apathy.
Another resident, who is an official of National Association of Katsina State Students (NAKASSA), Musa Isa, said the postponement of the election was unacceptable.
“We hereby condemned the inability of INEC to conduct the election as slated on Saturday,” he said.
In his reaction, a Pillar of Peoples Redemption Party (PDP) in the state, Malam Ahmed Mohammed, said INEC had disgraced Nigerians in the committee of nations.
“The federal government has provided all the necessary funds to the commission to be able to conduct a credible election, but it has turned around to say it is not ready.
“Truly, we are not happy with the development we have made our preparation two months ago to participate actively in the election,” he said.
An official of Buhari/Osinbanjo Support Group in the state, Malam Ahmed Funtua, called on party supporters not despair and advised them to consider the shifting of election as an act of God.
Funtua said the group would embark on prayers to make sure that Buhari returns to the villa after winning the election.