INEC Speaks On Postponing 2019 Elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has stated that the commission will not postpone the forthcoming general elections.

He stated this on Thursday while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting, organized by the electoral umpire.

Yakubu also promised that the electoral body would continue to obey all court orders.

“Court cases arising from the conduct of Congress and primaries have risen to 640. INEC has been dragged to court 640 times, we have received 540 requests for a certified true copy of documents. We have received 186 petitions over the conduct of congresses and party primaries.

“It is the policy of INEC to obey court orders. People ask if the judgments from these courts are decided close to elections if INEC will postpone the elections, INEC will not postpone any elections but we will make contingency arrangements in case some of the orders come close to elections,” he said.

The commission’s chairman also assured the stakeholders that he would never fail Nigeria and Nigerians.

Naija News recalls that the head of the Election Observation Mission (EOM) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson had met with the INEC Chairman at the INEC headquarters in Nigeria.

Sirleaf had stated that she is ready to meet with all the authorities in the electoral process to understand more than she has read on the process so far.

She also said the main program for the mission will begin next week when she and the full team return to Nigeria.

The INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood while welcoming Sirleaf and the team, thanked ECOWAS for accepting INEC’s invitation.

Mahmood said he is looking forward to the reports and recommendations from the mission promising that the elections will be a landmark event, stressing that the polls will be free, fair and credible.