The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday refuted a report by Reuters, that the general elections billed for this month may be postponed.
The international newswire, Reuters had quoted INEC National Commissioner, Amina Zakari, as saying that elections may be delayed if the ongoing distribution of the permanent voters’ cards is low.
But, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, in a statement said he had double-checked with the National Commissioner who denied making such statement.
Mr. Idowu’s letter to Reuters’ reporter reads:
Hello Julia,
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.
Kayode Robert Idowu
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman
