The calls for the postponement of this month’s general elections may be discussed during Thursday’s(tomorrow) Council of State meeting convened by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The council consists of the President, the Vice-President, all former Presidents or ex-Heads of State, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, the President of the Senate, all state governors and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
One of the key responsibilities of the body is to advise the President in the exercise of his powers with respect to the Independent National Electoral Commission, including the appointments of members of the commission.
Proponents of the polls’ shift had hinged it on the inability of INEC to distribute enough Permanent Voter Cards to registered voters. The call is widely believed to be engineered by the Presidency, which though had denied the charge.
INEC had however insisted that there would be no postponement of the elections.
The PUNCHhowever learnt from a Presidency official in Abuja on Tuesday that the Council of State would review the preparations for the elections by INEC and the relevant security agencies.
He said that information available to the government showed that contrary to the claims by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the commission was not yet ready for the elections.
For example, the official claimed that INEC only awarded the contract for the printing of ballot papers for the February 14 presidential election last Monday.
He wondered how the ballot papers would be made ready before February 14 which is the first day of the polls.
The official said, “The truth of the matter is that if urgent step is not taken, Prof. Jega may end up ridiculing this country.
“Available information shows that the commission is not set for this election contrary to Jega’s claim.
“We learnt he actually summoned a meeting recently with a view to postponing the election but he is scared of the opposition who have been kicking against such.
“This Thursday (tomorrow) meeting will definitely review INEC’s preparations and take a stand.”
Another Presidency source also informedThe PUNCHthat Jonathan might use the opportunity provided by the meeting to garner support for the postponement of the polls.
“The Presidency is not resting on its oars concerning the plan to shift the elections. It is already in talks with some members of the council,” he said.
On what the Presidency would do if the plan fails, he replied, “we would opt for another plan, which is to return to the drawing board; plan a new strategy on how to deal with our opponents.”
To underscore the importance Jonathan attaches to the meeting, his re-election campaign rally earlier billed to hold on Thursday in Yenagoa, the capital of his home state, Bayelsa, has been put on hold.
It was gathered that the rally might hold later in the day if the meeting ended on time or be shifted to Friday.
The PUNCHhas however learnt that some of the proponents of election postponement might have perfected plan to ensure that Jega did not return as INEC chairman if their plan materialises.
A week-long investigation by one of our correspondents showed that the Presidency was waiting patiently for INEC to yield to the pressure before coming out with its real plan for Jega.
It was gathered that the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party were not ready for the elections and believed that their chances could be affected if the elections were held as scheduled.
Because of this, the Presidency, backed by some hawks in the PDP, are said to be waiting for an auspicious time to ask the INEC chairman to proceed on terminal leave. His tenure ends on June 9, 2015.
The PDP source said, “The plan is to discredit the election by forcing postponement. When this is done, sponsored people and groups would start asking for the sack of Jega.
“At this point, the government would then say because of this, he should proceed on terminal leave and then ask the most senior national commissioner to take over and conduct the election.”
Jega’s nomination as INEC chairman followed approval by a meeting of the Council of State.
Jonathan had said then that he had never known Jega, a former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Jega’s candidature for the job was said to have been facilitated by a presidency top official, Hassan Tukur, who is from Adamawa State.
Parties disagree on postponement
Indication that the 26 registered political parties are divided over the calls for the postponement of the elections emerged in Abuja with 16 of them and five presidential candidates in support.
They told a news conference on Tuesday that they would boycott the polls if their opinions were not respected.
http://www.punchng.com/news/council-of-state-may-discuss-poll-shift-tomorrow/

Sahara Reporters were right after all. They were the first to break the news two weeks ago that Jonathan has perfected plans to postpone the election. Sahara Reporters also reported about plan to mobilize people to protest in Abuja in support of postponement of the election. That protest happened today in Abuja.

For those of you who keeps reprimanding Sahara Reporters, keep at it. Sahara Reporters are the best news outlet reporting Nigerian News.

Jonathan is going to end up like Lawrence Gbagbo when it is all said and done.

sincerenigerian:
Sahara Reporters were right after all. They were the first to break the news two weeks ago that Jonathan has perfected plans to postpone the election. Sahara Reporters also reported about plan to mobilize people to protest in Abuja in support of postponement of the election. That protest happened today in Abuja.

For those of you who keeps reprimanding Sahara Reporters, keep at it. Sahara Reporters are the best news outlet reporting Nigerian News.

Jonathan is going to end up like Lawrence Gbagbo when it is all said and done.

GEJ is working hard campaigning in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
While his opponents drink tea at press conferences every morning, President Goodluck is busy meeting the electorate, selling himself and policies to them.
Tha does not seem like a man who is not ready to trounce his opponents at the polls any time, any day.

Keep wailing at your calamity.

And somebody [sup][/sup]tells me Tambuwal is still the House speaker when he's conspicuously missinh from d list. His speakership is within NASS & he dare not step into Aso rock in the name of no. 4 citizen.

tit:


GEJ is working hard campaigning in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
While his opponents drink tea at press conferences every morning, President Goodluck is busy meeting the electorate, selling himself and policies to them.
Tha does not seem like a man who is not ready to trounce his opponents at the polls any time, any day.

Keep wailing at your calamity.

You just made a fool of your pesident. If he has been doing all that you mentioned,why is he clamouring for the postponment of the elections? What the heck is he scared of?
Why is he planning to forcefully retire Jega and install his own to rig the elections?

Stop disgracing Jonathan with your foolish comment.


Cc

Obinoscopy

This election must go on o or else......

L

I'm only concerned about INEc stand on that issue of postponement.....

The president didn't call for postponement of elections.

The elections will hold as planned.




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emmasege:
And somebody [sup][/sup]tells me Tambuwal is still the House speaker when he's conspicuously missinh from d list. His speakership is within NASS & he dare not step into Aso rock in the name of no. 4 citizen.

You are unwell. I guess he would be arrested if he attends the Council of State meeting in Aso Rock! Even before he defected to the APC, he had not been attending. So keep your fingers crossed if you have nothing meaningful to contribute!

The election should be held and must be held, we are tired of seeing mr. palm oil face parade himself as the leader of this country! This shameless man that claims he deepened democracy and made free and fair elections possible should live up to his claims!