President Goodluck Jonathan has come under fire from
both Nigerians and the International community for the postponement of
the general elections.
Citicisms continue to mount over Nigeria’s decision to postpone the general elections by six weeks because of Boko Haram violence, with some insisting President Goodluck Jonathan’s political woes were the true cause of the delay.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) Attahiru Jega on February 7, Saturday, announced the postponement for presidential and parliamentary polls from February 14 to March 28, citing guidance from the national security advisor (NSA).
The All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo , according to The Nation, said the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, has committed an impeachable offence by permitting the actions of the military chiefs who could not guarantee security for the exercise.
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana opined that the security chiefs who said they could not guarrantee security for the poll could be tried for treason.
In an open letter, Falana said: “Since the President could not persuade the National Assembly to pass a resolution for tenure elongation on spurious grounds, the service chiefs allowed themselves to be manipulated to subvert the democratic process. “Thus, by causing the election to be postponed, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the security chiefs have staged a coup against the Constitution.”
‘’They are liable to be prosecuted for the grave offence of treason at the appropriate time.”
He added: “If the satanic Boko Haram sect is not defeated by the armed forces of the republics of Chad, Cameroon and Niger in the next six weeks, the security chiefs are likely to ask for another postponement of the general elections on the grounds that the operations in the Northeast have not been successfully concluded.”
The United States have also expressed disappointment with the postponement, especially since Secretary of State John Kerry visited President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari last month to extract a promise of a violence-free poll to be conducted as scheduled.
Kerry said the U.S. is deeply disappointed” by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election.”
“Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
“The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays,” Kerry said.
It would be recalled that the NSA, Sambo Dasuki, had written to Jega last week explaining that security could not be guaranteed on February 14 because all available military resources had been committed to an intensified operation against Islamist rebels in the northeast.
Citicisms continue to mount over Nigeria’s decision to postpone the general elections by six weeks because of Boko Haram violence, with some insisting President Goodluck Jonathan’s political woes were the true cause of the delay.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) Attahiru Jega on February 7, Saturday, announced the postponement for presidential and parliamentary polls from February 14 to March 28, citing guidance from the national security advisor (NSA).
The All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo , according to The Nation, said the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, has committed an impeachable offence by permitting the actions of the military chiefs who could not guarantee security for the exercise.
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana opined that the security chiefs who said they could not guarrantee security for the poll could be tried for treason.
In an open letter, Falana said: “Since the President could not persuade the National Assembly to pass a resolution for tenure elongation on spurious grounds, the service chiefs allowed themselves to be manipulated to subvert the democratic process. “Thus, by causing the election to be postponed, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the security chiefs have staged a coup against the Constitution.”
‘’They are liable to be prosecuted for the grave offence of treason at the appropriate time.”
He added: “If the satanic Boko Haram sect is not defeated by the armed forces of the republics of Chad, Cameroon and Niger in the next six weeks, the security chiefs are likely to ask for another postponement of the general elections on the grounds that the operations in the Northeast have not been successfully concluded.”
The United States have also expressed disappointment with the postponement, especially since Secretary of State John Kerry visited President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari last month to extract a promise of a violence-free poll to be conducted as scheduled.
Kerry said the U.S. is deeply disappointed” by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election.”
“Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
“The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays,” Kerry said.
It would be recalled that the NSA, Sambo Dasuki, had written to Jega last week explaining that security could not be guaranteed on February 14 because all available military resources had been committed to an intensified operation against Islamist rebels in the northeast.
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