Seventeen out of the 28
registered political parties have
asked the Independent National
Electoral Commission to shift the
conduct of the general elections
scheduled for February 14 and
28.
The parties canvassed the
position at a consultative
meeting with INEC, which
ended a few hours ago at the
commission’s headquarters in
Abuja.
INEC had on Friday announced
that it would hold consultative
meetings with all relevant
bodies, including the political
parties, civil society
organisations and the resident
electoral commissioners.
A source at the meeting told
PREMIUM TIMES that leaders of
12 others, including the leading
opposition party, All
Progressives Congress, stoutly
opposed their colleagues who
were demanding the shift of the
election.
This newspaper gathered that
the 17 parties cited the shoddy
manner the commission handled
the distribution of the
Permanent Voters Card, PVCs,
and the security challenges in
some parts of the country,
notably the north east, as its
major reasons for calling for the
postponement of the polls.
Our source said the manner the
parties argued their position
clearly indicated that certain
elements have reached out to
them asking them to support
that line of argument.
It could not however be
established if they were offered
money to do so.
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