SAN FRANCISCO, February 04, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday maintained that the general elections would hold as scheduled whilst also refuting a report by news agency Reuters which claimed the polls may be delayed over low voters cards distribution to eligible voters.
In a statement signed by Kayode Robert Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, the commission accused a Reuters reporter of misrepresenting the position of its National Commissioner, Amina Zakari.
The full text of the statement reads: “Re: Nigeria may delay Feb vote if voter card distribution too low (REUTERS)
I write to refute your story in Reuters attributing National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Amina Zakari, as saying that the 2015 general elections may be delayed if the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected by voters is too low.
I was at the Situation Room Dialogue with INEC in Abuja this morning and I know that the Commissioner spoke in regard of the February 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs, nothing about the schedule of the general elections.
You said she spoke to you ‘on the sidelines’ of the event. Well, I have checked with the Commissioner and she denied that the issue discussed was the schedule of the 2015 elections. You had during the question-and-answer session at the event asked about the notably low level of collection in some states and the implication for voter turnout, which the Commission had missed out in her responses. Later ‘on the sidelines’ she explained to you that the number of PVCs already collected rates highly in comparison to the level of voter turn historically in Nigerian elections. Still, she added, INEC has not completely foreclosed the possibility of granting a few days of extension in isolated cases of low percentage of collection after February 8.
The inference you’ve made for the schedule of elections is entirely yours, and misrepresents the conversation that took place at the event this morning. You will do well to correct the report urgently, please.”
