The founder of Latter Rain Assembly who is also the convener of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare on Sunday, January 4, 2014 called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to postpone the February general elections by six months in order to review the timetable.
He urged the electoral body to adhere strictly to his call in order that the nation would escape the an imminent danger..
In his speech titled “The Gathering Storm and Avoidable Shipwreck: How to Avoid Catastrophic Euroclydon,” Bakare said, “I must state that the proposal for suspension of elections is not with a view to giving the president an avenue for undue tenure elongation but for the purpose of building a coalition that will bring lasting solutions to our problems.
“I have clearly painted a picture of where we are, a disaster is ahead of us. If the northerner emerges as winner, whether he has won that election fair and square or not, people will allege rigging. If Jonathan wins the election, fair and square, they will allege that he used his power of incumbency to rig the election.
He added, “The weather is not conducive for any election in February this year for that matter and I have quoted the right sections of the constitution that empower the president and the National Assembly to extend the election for a six months, provided it is not to stay in power or to elongate but to be working critically to ensure that these things are put in place before we go to the elections. This is my considered opinion and I believe I have the spirit of God.
“In suspending the elections and to gain the support of all stakeholders, the president must not act with the intention to seek re-election. Rather, he should, within the period, commit himself to building a non-partisan coalition comprised of major stakeholders and competent statesmen from each geopolitical zone.
“This coalition, headed by the president, will constitute a combined force that will tackle terrorism and address what I have earlier referred to as the fundamentals, within a time frame of two years or less.”
According to him, these factors have directly and indirectly contributed to the current economic crisis, political instability, and the security situation in the country.
Furthermore, Bakare pointed out some problems which need to be seriously addressed in the nation.
They include, “the awkward geopolitical structure of the federalism and the consequent lopsided economic structure in which a single product from one region of the country contributes the bulk of the revenue of the entire nation despite the abundant resources spread across the nation.”
