THE National Council of State on
Thursday reaffirmed the sole power of Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) over election timetable and, therefore, did not pressurise the electoral
umpire to shift the dates already fixed for the elections.
After about seven-hour marathon
meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, on Thursday, the council decided that INEC should consider its advice
and take necessary steps on the conduct of the election.
Noting that the council was
essentially an advisory body, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, who
briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, alongside his Imo and
Adamawa states counterparts, Rochas Okorocha and James Ngilari, said the
electoral body would brief the nation on its final decision.
But Okorocha, in his remarks,
said INEC had assured of its readiness for the election and had, therefore,
been advised to perform its civic responsibility.
Mimiko said the council
essentially deliberated on the state of preparedness of INEC and provided the
commission the benefit of input from council members and security chiefs and
agencies.
“Based on the very exhaustive
discussion and pieces of advice, INEC is constitutionally empowered to brief
the nation and then the news will be communicated to you,” he said.
When pressed to comment on the
possibility of a shift of the election dates, Mimiko said, “like I made it
absolutely clear, I am not INEC chief. INEC will appropriately brief you based
on the meeting we just had.
“INEC is going to consult widely
with stakeholders and come up with a decision on which it will brief the nation
soon.”
He observed that President
Jonathan summoned the meeting to enable INEC brief the council on its
preparedness, saying “based on what INEC briefed us and based on perception of
council members and security agencies, INEC was properly advised and you will
hear from INEC.”
But in his contribution, Okorocha
said INEC had been advised to perform its civic responsibility against the fact
of its assurances that it was ready for the election.
“National Council of State
advised INEC to go and perform its civic responsibility, which is to conduct
elections. That is what we agreed on.
“It was a very challenging moment
and INEC has reaffirmed severally that it is ready, but because of concerns of
security agencies in some few local governments, council asked INEC to go and
perform its civic responsibilities, which is the conduct of elections.”
Asked if there was a decision on
date change, he added that “there is no decision as to change of date, but the
council has asked INEC to go and perform its responsibility.”
On the challenges of distributing
permanent voter cards, Okorocha observed that the exercise was ongoing.
According to him, “the temporary
voter cards are being exchanged for the new ones and the PVC would be assumed
to have been distributed before Sunday. That was the essence of the whole
exercise and Jega has reassured us that the commission is equal to the task. In
fact, more prepared than in 2011.”
On the seeming disagreement
between him and Mimiko over the outcome of the council meeting, Okorocha noted
“as usual, we will not be on the same page on any issues of this nature.
“It is normal that some will be
for and others will be against, but the truth is that we looked at the
constitution of Nigeria. That is the only binding factor when there are issues
of disagreement. The constitution guides everyone.”
He assured that his party, the
All Progressives Congress (APC) was expecting the elections to hold as
scheduled.
Speaking again after Okorocha,
Mimiko restated that “for any avoidance of doubt, like I said, INEC had the
benefit of inputs and perspectives from council members.”
He added that issues of
distribution of PVCs, card readers, the extent of piloting to ensure that
people are familiar with it were discussed along with security issues.
He observed that with seven days
to the election, 34 per cent of Nigerians were yet to get PVCs.
Former president, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo, was the only living former Nigerian leader absent at the meeting.
Present were General Yakubu
Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu Buhari, General Ibrahim
Babangida, Chief Earnest Shonekan, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; Senate
President, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal;
former Chief Justices of the Federation, Justice Alfa Belgore and Dahiru
Musdapher.
State governors present were
James Ngilari (Adamawa), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Rauf Aregebsola (Osun);
Okorocha (Imo); Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Willie
Obiano of Anambra and Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger.
Others were Babatunde Fashola
(Lagos), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Idris Wada (Kogi), Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers),
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun),
Abubakar Yari (Zamfara) Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Ibrahim Shehu Shema of
Katsina.
Also present were Mimiko (Ondo);
David Jang (Plateau); Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom);
Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Emmanuel
Uduaghan (Delta); Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe.
Borno, Yobe, Abia and Oyo state
governors were represented by their deputies. Taraba State acting governor,
Danladi Abubakar, was present, while Benue, Ebonyi and Kebbi governors were
neither present nor represented.
Chief of Defence Staff ( CDS),
Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant -General Kenneth
Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Admiral Adesola Amosu
(Air Force); Suleiman Abba, Inspector-General of Police; Ita Ekpeyong,
Director-General, SSS; National Security Adviser, Colonel Mohammed Sambo
Dasuki, were also present.
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