GENERAL ELECTIONS: CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS 60 DAYS EXTENSION

• As Jega, National Commissioners, Resident Commissioners in crucial Meeting
• Rejects governorship nominations from seven states.
Uncertainty has continued to trail the conduct of next month’s general elections as civil society groups under the auspices of the Nigerian Hopes Alive Project on Monday blocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja demanding for the extension of both the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for February 14 by 60 days.
They also demanded that the Governorship and State House of Assembly election slated for February 28 be equally extended by two months.
For hours, the civil society group in their white vest and green face caps blocked all entrances leading to Zambesi Crescent where the INEC has its national headquarters. All business concerns like the TERTFUND, WAEC, Veterinary Council and the National Medical Council were blocked by the protesting civil society groups.
They were chanting slogans like “Why Nigerians want a 60-day extension”, “INEC has not produced all the PVCs, Those produced have not been adequately distributed“, “Section 135 (3) of the 1999 constitution allows for the extension” and “Please support this call to save our nation from imminent disaster”.
Speaking to THISDAY, the coordinator of the Nigeria Hope Alive Project, Mrs. Ifeanyinwa Nwagbo, said that the extension of the general election would be the most necessary thing to do as it would help reduce violence on the election day.
Meanwhile, INEC has held a crucial meeting involving all the 36 States Resident Electoral Commissioners in connection with the general election.
The body has also announced in a bulletin the rejection of seven governorship candidates submitted by political parties. INEC is expected to publish this Tuesday the list of all the governorship candidates of the political parties contesting the February 28 election.
According to an INEC bulletin, “The parties and the states affected (by the rejection) are: Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in Delta state; Labour Party in Niger state; New Nigeria Peoples Party in Ogun state; Unity Party of Nigeria in Oyo state; United Democratic Party in Rivers state; and Peoples Democratic Movement in Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Source: Thisday