The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering postponing tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections, according to PREMIUM TIMES, a leading Nigerian online newspaper.
It says “multiple sources close to the electoral commission said the postponement being considered is due to some logistics challenges being faced by the commission in many states.
“The electoral body is facing difficulty distributing sensitive electoral materials to some states of the federation”, an official said.
A formal announcement is expected on Friday night, its sources said, saying it is unclear at this time what the new election date would be.
“There will definitely be a postponement but we are yet to take a decision on the new date,” an official said.
Another official said the commission is considering fixing the elections for Sunday.
Our (PREMIUM TIMES) sources said INEC commissioners are currently locked in a meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Some of the states where the logistic challenges are said to occur include Niger and Ekiti.
The paper claimed to have published a report by the News Agency of Nigeria where the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Niger State said ballot papers for two of the state’s three senatorial districts were missing as of Friday evening.
EKITI LAMENTS
The paper went on to say that in Ekiti, the former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, accused INEC of deliberately hoarding materials for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections in some states to frustrate the PDP.
Mr Fayose said he was aware that ballot papers and result sheets for presidential and senatorial elections were not in Ekiti State as at 9 p.m. on Friday, adding that only materials for the House of Representatives were distributed.
According to his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, Mr Fayose said similar situations already reported in Oyo, Taraba, Edo, Niger, Ogun, Rivers and other states.
The INEC Commissioner in charge of publicity, Festus Okoye, did not answer or return multiple calls from PREMIUM TIMES.
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