The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that there are no plans to postpone the 2019 elections.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, said this while reacting to claims that the elections might be postponed due to the several litigations arising from the primaries organised by political parties. He said;
“Court cases arising from the conduct of congresses 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.”
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting organised by INEC in Abuja Thursday February 7th, Mahmood said the commission has been dragged to court 640 times and received 540 applications for the certified true copy of documents arising from the various primaries but that none of these cases would warrant the elections to be postponed.
“Let me assure the nation and the stakeholders that smart card reader will be deployed in the 2019 elections. The next big issue for us is the voter register and the availability of the PVC” he said
He also assured the stakeholders at the meeting that “INEC would never fail Nigerians”.
