National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday, February 12, 2015 stated that the leadership of the party and its governors had confidence that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega would be able to conduct of the forthcoming election in the wake of the rancour caused by the shifting the election dates.
He made this known at a media parley at the National Headquarters of the party PDP, flanked by some PDP governors led by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State.
While expressing his belief that the shift would enable INEC to distribute more Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) so as to enable aeveral million to vote, Mu’azu stated he stood with President Goodluck Jonathan who had earlier expressed confidence in the ability of the INEC supremo.
He said: “You asked if the party has confidence in Jega? My answer is not far-fetched.
“The President stated during his media chat last night (Wednesday) that he has confidence in Jega.
“We also have confidence in Jega and that he and his team will conduct free, fair and transparent elections.”
“While we were cruising in the euphoria of the success of our campaign that was leading us to victory, INEC on February 7, 2015, relying on section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) announced the postponement of the elections by six weeks, citing what it called security challenges.
“Although we tend to agree with INEC on the security reasons given for the postponement, we are nevertheless not unmindful of the fact that the commission on its own part was not fully prepared for the February 14 election date.
“Taking the INEC chairman, Jega, on his own words, for the 68.8 million registered voters, the commission had only printed and delivered 66.3 million Permanent Voter Cards with 1.3 million yet to be delivered and 1.1 million stolen cards yet to be replaced.
“Also according to Jega, 45.09 million voters cards were collected by prospective voters, representing 65.8 percent of the registered voters and 23.71 million PVCs, representing 34.2 percent, were yet to be collected as at February 7, which is exactly one week to the February 14 earlier scheduled date. Compare this anomaly with the 2011 elections where not a single eligible voter was disenfranchised.
“By this account, INEC could not sincerely claim to have been fully prepared for a desirable credible, free and fair election at the time when more than 23 million registered voters were going to be disenfranchised.”
