When the postponement of the general election earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 was announced last February, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, struggled to give reasons for its action. It cited security reasons resulting from the advice of the military that they could not guarantee security in certain parts of the country during the elections. Many other Nigerians insisted that INEC itself might not have been logistically prepared for the elections. There were clearly supporters and dissenters to the decision within the political class along party lines.
From the events that followed in the past few weeks, it has become crystal clear that the postponement had nothing to do with the reasons offered by INEC. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party was not prepared for the elections and could not stand the defeat that was staring it in the face. Many of the party’s senior members had confirmed that they just wanted an opportunity to improve their electoral chances. Nigerians must give it to the PDP, it attempted to benefit from the postponement. Many activities were clearly connected to that agenda. The new military offensive against the Boko Haram insurgents, the President’s visit to soldiers and civilians in Bama and Biu, the aggressive media visibility including the campaign of calumny against notable opposition leaders, the nationwide outreach to religious leaders, the visit to traditional rulers in the South-West and the alleged push for the anti-corruption agency to investigate opposition leaders were all segments of a well-rehearsed agenda to make Nigerians see the PDP in a better light and hopefully win them over.
From all the opinion polls that were conducted before February 14, the opposition All Progressives Congress was clearly on the lead and would have won the presidential election but for the postponement. However, many analysts argue that the party has not done much since after the postponement beyond the appearance of its presidential candidate at the Chatham House, London and a town hall meeting in Lagos. Although the Chatham House event sent a clear positive signal to the world, observers insist that the opposition party needed to do more especially against the background of calculated efforts to tarnish its image and erode its support base. Many leaders of the party have argued that they do not want to join issues with the PDP. While that may be true and understandable, the APC has not done much of constructive policy communication expected of a party that is waiting to form a government.
While the intensity of the PDP led efforts must be acknowledged, one is not sure whether its objectives were achieved. Did the image of the ruling party get any better before Nigerians? Has this plethora of efforts potentially or actually contributed to any shift in the electoral fortunes of the PDP? It is the position of this writer that the reverse might be the case. The PDP has unwittingly painted President Goodluck Jonathan as a very desperate politician who is afraid of defeat and who is willing to either have his way or scuttle the entire electoral process. For instance, many Nigerians were very unhappy to see the picture of the President sitting helplessly with Obas pointing their walking sticks at him. Were they praying for him? Was it necessary or helpful to put out such a picture in the public domain?
I reckon that someone like the spokesperson for President Jonathan’s campaign, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, is working hard to either impress his boss or improve his electoral chances. But many see his barrage of negative comments and demeaning outbursts as very unnecessary and in fact hurtful to the President’s image. I also feel the same way for the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. For the First Lady, I suspect that she means well for her husband. She is visibly worried about the possible outcome of the election and labouring to make sure that things go in their favour. However, her public eruptions are worsening the President’s chances instead. Media reports now indicate that the International Criminal Court has started investigating her and this may lead to disastrous consequences in the likely event of defeat on March 28. For Fayose, his wild but largely unsubstantiated accusations against Buhari wasted opportunities that he would have used to positively market President Jonathan in the South-West. The comments of the Enugu Catholic Priest, Rev. Ejike Mbaka, also dealt a heavy blow to the President’s support base.

No one gained, no one loss.
It only made jonathan to be very active in his duties for the short period.

With a few days to the election, very little seems to have changed in terms of the expected outcome. It appears that a majority of voters in Nigeria had made up their mind before the postponement. Many voters in the South-South and South-East still remain in support of President Jonathan. Although they neither believe that he is a competent politician nor that he will win his election, however, they do not want to be seen as the ones who stopped their “brother”. So, the reasons for their support are purely sentimental. Among other supporters of the President are some conservative Christians who have fallen to the negative propaganda spread by the PDP that Buhari is planning to “Islamise” Nigeria and grant amnesty to Boko Haram insurgents when elected into office. Really? Although Buhari has repeatedly distanced himself from this allegation, he may still need to come clearer on this if he hopes to sway some of these voters.
In the last two days, the campaign is now shifting from the level of preparedness of INEC and the campaign against the use of card readers to the allegations of partiality of the electoral umpire, Prof. Attahiru Jega. Demonstrations against Jega have already held in Enugu and Lagos organised by the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra and Oodua People’s Congress respectively. The protesters were seen brandishing lethal weapons publicly under the full glare of security agencies. Who armed them? Who are those sponsoring them? What is the implication of these arms in the hands of non-state actors beyond the elections? Is it a new chapter in an unfolding agenda? Who wants hostility? Who wants acrimony?
Beyond the outcome of the elections, the prevailing political climate has clearly shown a climate of instability. The implication is that there has been enormous capital flight from Nigeria. Investor confidence has reduced and the reputation of the profile of political corruption in Nigeria has worsened. Inexplicable shortfall in the national revenue made manifest in the inability of some states to meet their current financial responsibilities. This has led to tethering hardship among the Nigerian public which is clearly avoidable. Some of the injuries inflicted on the economy as a result of politics may be difficult to heal. The move to postpone the elections further will catapult the country into a needless constitutional crisis that will truncate the electoral process. That will be unimaginable and unconscionable. There is a need for our political class to ponder about what will advance our national interest beyond the bitter divides of partisanship. Whatever could not be achieved by both parties so far may not be achieved again. President Jonathan should take leadership as a statesman in encouraging INEC to go ahead with the planned elections. Whatever will be the outcome should be accepted by all parties with equanimity. After all, our country is bigger (and must be seen to be bigger) than any individual or political party.

But its true oh. Finally who benefited most from this election postponement?

A week to go. If you for GEJ till 2019 click like

Just in case

If you are for GMB click like

Nigerians gained.
within the period of the postponenment, many APC's lies were exposed. Many people would have voted for them blindly. But the veil has fallen out of the eyes of many who were decieved. And now, Buhari's failure is more assured than ever before.

Nothing has changed. Thousands of Nigerians have been able to collect their PVC since Feb 14. Now they can perform their right as citizen of this country which would have been impossible if election had held about a month ago.
As for me, I still see GEJ as a small finish trying to swim in a big river and GMB as one that's is trying to prove that he can who win elections too. They both have nothing to offer Nigerians and are epic failures waiting to happen. Bad thing about GEJ is that his is already happened and it's to be continued.
The signs are obvious. The two parties are more interested in gettin one over the opposition than moving Nigeria forward.
Peace.

OKDnigeria:
Nigerians gained.
within the period of the postponenment, many APC's lies were exposed. Many people would have voted for them blindly. But the veil has fallen out of the eyes of many who were decieved. And now, Buhari's failure is more assured than ever before.

God bless you. That's the truth!

I think GEJ did. I was for buhari. But, i have seen reasons to vote GEJ just within dz few weeks. I passed the FAAN online interview and if buhari wins, he will scrap the program away. so let me try my luck.

JEGA and the masses that have not collected there PVC as of then.

Believe it or not, postponing the election reduced the excitement and tension in Nigeria. Most especially from Buhari supporters. It made more people collect their PVC and it made more people to pray for this election to come to pass so that all this insult and lies would reduce even though it does not stop.

[Letter to Buhari from the grave of the innocents – By Bashir Yusufu
March 14, 2015


Dear General Buhari; I would’ve addressed this letter privately to you, but in the expectation that you may not receive it, I decided to make it an Open Letter, in the hope that you would stumble on it, read it and hopefully feel some of the pains and anguish that have been my lot. Having said that, permit me therefore to proceed with the rest of this missive from the grave of innocents departed.

Last night, while I was at my modest home in Katsina, relaxing and probably half-awake, I heard the voice of my cousin who was killed in the North in April 2011 during the post-election violence instigated by your loss of the presidential election. With bloodshot sad eyes, my cousin, looking apparition-like, was wailing “Gen Buhari, why why”. My cousin’s name is (or was) Mallam Yusuf Danfulani, a bright young lad originally from Katsina State, who was slaughtered in cold blood and set on fire by youths chanting “Sai Buhari”, like they are again now chanting in 2015.

Gen Buhari, in case you have forgotten, Yusuf was slaughtered in your name even though he never did any wrong to you, and even voted for you against Dr Jonathan. He lost his life just because the murderers you encouraged by your many hate speeches believed Yusuf to be from middle belt or southern Nigeria, most probably because of his bulky looks and brave, patriotic attempts to prevent the killing of an innocent Youth Corper, Ukeoma Ikechukwu. Even though he cried out in Hausa and Fulfulde, he was still not believed by those you (Buhari) managed to brainwash to see all non-Fulani Nigerians as conspiring to vote against you. In this very case, Yusuf voted for you but his ‘Sai Buhari’ killers never believed he did. Like you, Gen Buhari, the mob was baying for the blood of innocents.

If not for Yusuf’s best friend who was with him and was himself nearly killed, we would not have recognized his charred body that was burnt beyond recognition. And thanks to the same friend for recounting to us the little he could make out at the last moments of Yusuf’s life, the agony he passed through and the most important words he uttered before he gave up. It is the same words I heard him utter last night from the grave: ‘Gen Buhari, why why’. Yet, to this day, you (Buhari) have not cared to apologize or show any remorse, but you instead offered lame excuses for the bloodletting you had instigated, and still instigate. I now ask you this: Gen Buhari, must you always shade blood, like you started doing from 1983, to rule Nigeria? Do you recall how you killed Brigadier Bako in 1983 just so you could take power by force from Shehu Shagari?

General Buhari, Ukeoma Ikechukwu himself was reported missing that same day Yusuf was murdered by your supporters, and finally confirmed dead the following day when his charred remains was discovered in a hooded area. Apparently, your supporters had dragged him out of the open and tortured him before finally snuffing life out of him. Like my cousin, Yusuf, Ukeoma was very young and an innocent. Unlike Dr. Jonathan, they were not contesting against you. Yet, when they were killed, part of Nigeria was killed with them; the same Nigeria that you are now angrily campaigning to rule.

Yusuf and Ukeoma were not alone. Six other innocent Youth Corpers were also murdered in Bauchi, where you Buhari, polled 1,315,209 votes (almost 82 per cent), defeating Dr Jonathan who scored 258,404 votes and did not even hit the 25 per cent mark. The corps members were reportedly chased to a police station where they sought refuge. But the rioters, who were raving mad with bloodlust and chanting “Sai Buhari”, overran the station and murdered the young Nigerians in cold blood. So, Gen Buhari, as you can see from the Bauchi result and it’s aftermath, your supporters even shade blood when you win; still you have no qualms. Today, you are prancing around the nation, arrogant and angry as usual, behaving like you have already won the election; and thus setting up another bloodletting if you are not announced winner.

The story of Obinna Okpokiri is as heart-wrenching as Yusuf’s. The 27-year-old was butchered and burnt to ashes, in the service of his fatherland. Okpokiri’s own circumstances were as gruesome as they could be. He had run to the Corpers’ Lodge as the rampaging ‘Sai Buhari’ rioters targeted Youth Corper polling officers recruited by INEC for the election. As painful death loomed, the young Nigerians contemplated fleeing to the barracks. But they were not lucky enough. Your ‘Sai Buhari’ supporters caught up with them, slaughtered and set them on fire. Like Yusuf, these innocents are human beings and future leaders on the last laps of fulfilling their national duty before moving on to a bright future. But it was not to be because, in your name, Gen Buhari, they were slaughtered, sliced, soaked in petrol and scorched. Reduced to ashes in minutes and in the most callous fashion by those that are not better citizens or humans than them.

General Buhari, while you are now busy inciting another violence, please bear in mind that in 2011, your supporters turned violent in whole 12 northern states as they burned the homes, vehicles, and properties of innocent Nigerians, some of whom are also Muslims and Northerners like you and my cousin Yusuf. Your ‘Sai Buhari’ supporters also targeted and killed Christians and members of southern Nigerian ethnic groups, who were seen as supporting the PDP, and they burnt churches across the north. One particular attack in Bauchi stood out as most heart-breaking. According to Human Rights Watch, on April 17 in Giade, a rural town in northern Bauchi, ‘Sai Buhari’ mobs attacked youth corps members in the town. The Corpers, who were mostly from Yoruba, ran to the local police station to seek refuge, but the mobs stormed the police station. The mob killed the police officer on duty and burned down the police station. They raped two of the female youth corps members and then hacked them to death with machetes, along with five male youth corps members. In total, rioters killed ten youth corps members in that town alone.

A lecturer at the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State, described to Human Rights Watch how a mob of Muslims chanting “Change, Sai Buhari” attacked and killed several Christian students, a Christian lecturer and four Muslim students suspected of being PDP sympathizers on April 17: He said “Between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., they entered the school chanting slogans and shouting: “Where are the Christians and Muslims that supported the ruling party?” They had painted their faces black and were shouting that they needed “change”, the Congress for Progressive Change campaign slogan. The mob had all sorts of weapons – machetes, sticks, and clubs. They started breaking the glass on the buildings. The students ran away but the mob pursued them into the staff quarters and they had nowhere to go. The mob beat them to death. The lecturer they killed was Yoruba“.


postponement of the general election earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 was announced last February, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, struggled to give reasons for its action. It cited security reasons resulting from the advice of the military that they could not guarantee security in certain parts of the country during the elections. Many other Nigerians insisted that INEC itself might not have been logistically prepared for the elections. There were clearly supporters and dissenters to the decision within the political class along party lines.
From the events that followed in the past few weeks, it has become crystal clear that the postponement had nothing to do with the reasons offered by INEC. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party was not prepared for the elections and could not stand the defeat that was staring it in the face. Many of the party’s senior members had confirmed that they just wanted an opportunity to improve their electoral chances. Nigerians must give it to the PDP, it attempted to benefit from the postponement. Many activities were clearly connected to that agenda. The new military offensive against the Boko Haram insurgents, the President’s visit to soldiers and civilians in Bama and Biu, the aggressive media visibility including the campaign of calumny against notable opposition leaders, the nationwide outreach to religious leaders, the visit to traditional rulers in the South-West and the alleged push for the anti-corruption agency to investigate opposition leaders were all segments of a well-rehearsed agenda to make Nigerians see the PDP in a better light and hopefully win them over.
From all the opinion polls that were conducted before February 14, the opposition All Progressives Congress was clearly on the lead and would have won the presidential election but for the postponement. However, many analysts argue that the party has not done much since after the postponement beyond the appearance of its presidential candidate at the Chatham House, London and a town hall meeting in Lagos. Although the Chatham House event sent a clear positive signal to the world, observers insist that the opposition party needed to do more especially against the background of calculated efforts to tarnish its image and erode its support base. Many leaders of the party have argued that they do not want to join issues with the PDP. While that may be true and understandable, the APC has not done much of constructive policy communication expected of a party that is waiting to form a government.
While the intensity of the PDP led efforts must be acknowledged, one is not sure whether its objectives were achieved. Did the image of the ruling party get any better before Nigerians? Has this plethora of efforts potentially or actually contributed to any shift in the electoral fortunes of the PDP? It is the position of this writer that the reverse might be the case. The PDP has unwittingly painted President Goodluck Jonathan as a very desperate politician who is afraid of defeat and who is willing to either have his way or scuttle the entire electoral process. For instance, many Nigerians were very unhappy to see the picture of the President sitting helplessly with Obas pointing their walking sticks at him. Were they praying for him? Was it necessary or helpful to put out such a picture in the public domain?
I reckon that someone like the spokesperson for President Jonathan’s campaign, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, is working hard to either impress his boss or improve his electoral chances. But many see his barrage of negative comments and demeaning outbursts as very unnecessary and in fact hurtful to the President’s image. I also feel the same way for the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. For the First Lady, I suspect that she means well for her husband. She is visibly worried about the possible outcome of the election and labouring to make sure that things go in their favour. However, her public eruptions are worsening the President’s chances instead. Media reports now indicate that the International Criminal Court has started investigating her and this may lead to disastrous consequences in the likely event of defeat on March 28. For Fayose, his wild but largely unsubstantiated accusations against Buhari wasted opportunities that he would have used to positively market President Jonathan in the South-West. The comments of the Enugu Catholic Priest, Rev. Ejike Mbaka, also dealt a heavy blow to the President’s support base.[/quote]

None

Both parties gained. The APC were able to campaign more with the million man marches, GMB at Chattam house etc, while the PDP also made up for lost ground by upping their publicity and portraying GEJ more etc.

But the greatest gainers are Nigerians. Ever since the postponement, millions of Nigerians have been able to collect their PVCs and gotten the chance to prove their right to vote.
Back in febuary, PVCs were still being produced and shipped. It would have been unfair on the part of INEC if millions of eligible registered voters didnt get to vote. I'm happy the situation has improved drastically.

obynoses:
I think GEJ did. I was for buhari. But, i have seen reasons to vote GEJ just within dz few weeks. I passed the FAAN online interview and if buhari wins, he will scrap the program away. so let me try my luck.

don't deceivre yourself, you have always been pro jonathan. see your feb 2,post.


The busy ones are not here online. and they dont have time for tweeters and social network pendulums. And they are those with the PVCs....How many North Eastern man dey online? But they are the ones who are really gonna cast the votes for the candidates. So lets not come here and deceive ourselves. Go to work and get busy. GEJ till 2019

obynoses:
I think GEJ did. I was for buhari. But, i have seen reasons to vote GEJ just within dz few weeks. I passed the FAAN online interview and if buhari wins, he will scrap the program away. so let me try my luck.

You are a despicable individual........

Since Oct 2014 that you started posting on NL,your comments have always been Anti North and you are Buhari hater

Charlatan of no pedigree