Elections Shift Was Needed But The Reason Behind It Is Unacceptable - Tunny Ogunnowo

Yesterday, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the postponement of the 2015 general elections. To read the full transcript of the speech click here.

Meanwhile, I like to register my displeasure as regards the shift in the polls. Boko Haram started their major public attacks about 5 years ago (precisely 1^st, October 2010) and since then the Nigerian Military have been trying their best to contain these set of insurgents. Though the efforts of the Nigerian Military is much appreciated but as the armed forces continue to intensify their efforts to curbing these menace, the insurgents also have continued to intensify their efforts in executing more attacks especially in 3 North Eastern states (Borno, Yobe and Adamawa). Boko Haram attacks that started with bombing and killings have now culminated into capturing towns, hoisting flags and declaring caliphates. Inspite of these, I am not blind to the efforts of the Nigerian Military and other Intelligence Agencies in deterring these attacks from the insurgents.

Now to the general elections: INEC claimed that the reason for shifting the 2015 general elections is that security of lives cannot be guaranteed if the Commission is to proceed with the elections as scheduled, though these is an election variable which is beyond the jurisdiction of the Electoral Commission. Prof. Jega claimed that the security agencies have briefed the electoral commission saying they (the security agencies) plan to launch a major attack on the insurgents which would last for 6 weeks starting on February 14^th 2015, the same day the elections were to hold if it hadn’t been postponed.

My displeasure: what assurance do we have to prove that the military will curb the attacks from the insurgents in 6 weeks? A responsibility they (the military) haven’t been able to fulfill in 5 years even after series of promises and claims that the head of the insurgents have been killed by our soldiers.  What new strategy is the Military taking to combat Boko Haram in ‘6 weeks’? Why hasn’t the Military commence their major attack on the insurgents earlier when we all know that February 14^th is the day of elections? We never heard if there are new weapons shipped into the country for the soldiers so this means they have always had weapons to commence the major attacks but they never did. What assurance do we have the in ‘6 weeks’ Boko Haram will be no more? And what if the insurgents continue their attacks after these 6 weeks, would the elections be shifted again? These are questions we need to ask.

My take: I think INEC should have proceeded with the elections as formerly scheduled but conduct elections in affected states specially. This means that elections in affected states should be held earlier or later so that it will afford the Military to enforce themselves strongly for those ‘danger zones’. It would have been acceptable to me if the elections were shifted because of the lapses in the issuance of the permanent voters' card to the electorates. I rest my case.

Babatunde ‘Tunny’ Ogunnowo