Elections Hold As Scheduled, Jega Insists

 
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Friday, rejected the call for the postponement of the presidential election and declared that Nigerians will vote their next leader on February 14.
INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, made the declaration in Abuja, at a workshop organised by the commission on “Mitigation of Violence In Election”.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), had, on Thursday in London, canvassed for the postponement of the polls and disclosed that he had made his view on the matter known to the Chairman of INEC. A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George had supported the call by Dasuki, saying he had not even collected his PVC.
However, speaking on the issue on Friday, Jega said the commission had at no time sat down to review the date of the election despite the challenges related to the distribution of the PVCs and insisted that the commission was working round the clock to ensure all PVCs were distributed .
Jega reminded the people that the commission had released the elections timetable about a year ago and had been vigorously working to meet up with the date.
He declined comment on Dasuki’s call, but said, however, “In any case, whatever I say is the commission’s position and the commission has not discussed this matter and taken a position on it. So, I want to be more patient on this. I cannot comment on this for now.”
According to him, the commission should not be blamed for people who refused to come out and collect PVCs which had been produced and sent to various collection points across the country. He said the commission had continued to produce PVCs to meet the 68 million registered voters already captured and certified by the commission to be genuine. He said about four million cards were received by the commission on Thursday.
Jega reiterated the position of INEC that the election would be conducted with only the PVCs which had been tested and proven to be valid for elections.