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The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole on Saturday expressed his disgust at the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for waiting till 2 am on Saturday to postpone the elections when it was obvious that the commission ‘was experiencing logistical challenges since Wednesday.’
Recall that the chairman of the commission, Prof. Yakub Mahmood earlier announced the commission’s decision to postpone the elections initially scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 16.
The commission had since been under fire nationally and internationally for postponing the elections on the very day it was scheduled to hold.
At a press briefing with the stakeholders on Saturday, the national chairman of the commission insisted that as at 2 am on Saturday, the commission was confident that the elections will hold as scheduled.
While voicing his anger, Oshiomhole said the commission under Mahmood had embarrassed the nation with the postponement. “I don’t understand why others are commending you but I think you owe us, particularly the players and Nigerians in general some apologies and more detailed explanation on why this postponement had to wait till 2 am on the scheduled date before postponement. This is an embarrassment to us a nation. We have spent a lot of funds mobilising agents across the over 176,000 polling units across the country. How do we explain the expenditure of such huge cost for a failed election. This about Nigeria. I came into this hall this afternoon to discover that some seats in front were reserved for foreign observers. This election is about Nigerians first and not our friends. Mr. Chairman, you owe us more explanation on why the postponement was not done at least forty hours to the elections,” a visibly angered Oshiomhole said.
Other participants at the stakeholders press briefing also expressed their disappointment at the commission but advocated for support for a successful poll.
The INEC chairman however reiterated that the campaigns are closed and so is the PVC collection.