Flash Back: When INEC Chairman Said Elections Cannot Be postponed

An interview of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, on a television program, Osasu Show, has been making rounds on the social media.

The interview has gone viral because the INEC chairman, while answering a question thrown at him by the presenter, assured that all was set for the 2019 elections, adding that there was no likelihood that the election will be postponed.

But contrary to this claim, the INEC chairman, on the day of the presidential and National Assembly election, postponed the general elections by one week.

While the presidential and National Assembly election were postponed to February 23rd, the governorship and state house assembly was postponed till March 9th.

In the viral video, Yakubu stated that INEC was not even contemplating the idea of postponing the election.

INEC is “fully prepared for the election.

“We first and foremost deliberately planned the 2019 general elections,” Yakubu said

“I can’t foresee any possibility of postponement. INEC is not even contemplating the postponement of the 2019 general elections.”

Meanwhile, THE WHISTLER gathered reactions of Nigerians to the video.

A Nigerian, Lucky Favour, said there is something fishy about the postponement.

He said, “I think the election is about to be rigged. Because from the very mouth of the INEC chairman, he said preparations have been ongoing for months and the election cannot be postponed. How come all of a sudden he is saying the election is postponed because of logistics reasons!

“What does he mean by logistics if preparations have been ongoing for months? ” he asked.

“If indeed logistics reason is the cause of the shift, then he is incompetent because money has been released.There was a controvertial release of billions of naira because of the election. A year before now, all has been put in place. So how come in less than 24 hours the election is postponed due to the same logistics money has been released for?

“There is something fishy,” he concluded.

Another Nigerian who simply identified himself as, Mr Samuel, said, “the basic reason they are giving is that materials had not gotten to some places as at yesterday evening.

“So it still boils down to planning and implementation.

“Therefore they have failed in planning and implementation.”

Another Nigerian who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he was disappointed with the electoral body.

According to him, it is a shame that the INEC postponed the election right on the day it was supposed to commence.

Similarly, another Nigerian, Daniel Udoh said, “Well, to my understanding, INEC is now being used as a tool by the government in power to implement their strategy. Sadly, against the will of the people.

“Because Goodluck suspended the INEC in 2015 and the same president, Buhari complained about it.

“Maybe they have noticed that the reality of the supposed election today would have been against them, that’s why they forced the Chairman of INEC to halt today’s election and have it suspended.

” I sense that they already had thumbprinted election papers but they were revealed to the public.

“So, it was obvious the need to suspend it.

“You know there is always a difference between the real value and face value as far as politics is concerned.”