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BREAKING: Deadlock As INEC RECs Give Jega Conditions For Poll Shift

Published

9 years ago

February 7, 2015

The meeting between the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, and the nation’s resident electoral commissioners has ended in a deadlock, Edujandon.com has learnt.
The deadlock followed the rejection of the proposal to shift the elections by 21 RECs who insisted that election must go on as planned.
However, the RECs have agreed to support the poll shift on two conditions. Firstly that Mr. Jega must extract commitment from the Presidency and security agencies that further extension would not be required after six weeks.
“RECs need a guarantee that there will not be further postponement after the six weeks they (the military) are demanding,” our source said.
He also said the second condition was that the commission should be allowed to decide how long the postponement should last.
“The feeling is that outside forces, especially the security agencies, should not be the ones to decide how long to shift the elections. That should be solely decided by INEC,” he said.
To this end, it was agreed that Mr. Jega should consult with the presidency and security agencies, after which another meeting will hold by 8pm.
“The Chairman will then brief the RECs on the outcome of his consultations,” our said.
INEC has all day been holding consultative meetings with political parties, civil society organisations and the RECs with a view to taking decision on whether to postpone the general elections scheduled for February 14 and 28 or not.