From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin
The Chairman House Committee on Justice. Dr. Ali Ahmad has opposed the call for postponement of election by the National Security Adviser (NSA), saying postponing the election would amount to rigging.
Ali who stated this in an interview with Journalists in Ilorin on Thursday said there was no excuse for the postponement.
“Any postponement of election from February 14 can only be achieved through a Supreme Court order or through a consensus arrangement agreed to by all stakeholders; INEC and all political parties. This is not an executive fiat, it is not an INEC thing, it is a Nigerian thing.
“So if there is a problem, bring it to the table because that date was agreed to by INEC and all the stakeholders. We know that. So if one party, PDP doesn’t feel like holding election and it is postponed, that is rigging; that is rigging.
“We have seen this thing one year ago that they don’t want 2015 election to hold, that is why the war in the north-east was orchestrated; that is why they haven’t done anything. Now the evidence is out, they can no longer hide.
“Now the NSA is unilaterally seeking for postponement, this cannot happen. Nigerians should rise. I can count 101 reasons why election should not hold.
“If it is PVC, INEC cannot force people to go and collect their PVC. It the temporary card is the issue, well let’s look at it, bring all the issues, let all the political parties sit down with INEC and let them find solutions, not PDP. One person cannot seek postponement of election and election should be postponed.
“Any postponement is rigging and nobody can determine what will happen thereafter. If it is war in the north east, nobody can tell us unless the President can tell me, ‘in the next 30 days, in the next 60 days, Boko Haram would be defeated.
“Postponing election for Boko Haram is a non-starter.
INEC is not complaining, INEC has extended it till the end of January, it is making rapid progress which we have seen in the last one week. Even in Kwara, we have jumped from 40 per cent to about 70 per cent. In another week, it could be 90 per cent. 70 per cent is an A grade. So every person cannot vote, if you are there and you cannot collect your PVC or if your PVC is missing, there is margin of error.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
