Guber: Kaduna residents express mixed feelings over postponement

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the postponement of the governorship and state assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Recall that INEC, on Wednesday, announced the postponement of the Governorship/State House of Assembly election earlier scheduled for March 11, 2023, to March 18, 2023.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the postponement was a result of the litigation against the electoral body, which ordered the reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, used for the presidential election held on February 25, 2023

However, some Nigerians hailed the postponement, while others warned INEC not to do anything that would interfere with the electoral process, leading to free and fair elections.

Dr Musa Yahaya, lecturer, Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, hailed the postponement, adding that whatever needed to be done right must be severely scrutinized and presented to the people.

According to him, if INEC discovered a fault in the electoral process and wants to correct what had gone wrong before the next election, it’s a welcome idea.

But, Professor Ishaq Usman, Department of Political Science, Kaduna State University, KASU, had a contrary view.

According to him, billions of Naira budgeted for INEC should be enough to put things in good shape before the scheduled election.

He said the configuration of BVAS should not be in place now since aggrieved politicians are heading for court, adding that Information must always be available to access by lawyers.

“I am yet to get a clear picture of what INEC gives as reason for the postponement. INEC should be aware that any attempt to configure the BVAS used for presidential election, wipe out necessary information, it will result to serious problems in the country. All information related to the 2023 election, should be made available at all times because of people who may need it, not just the aggrieved parties alone,” he said.

However, others who expressed the same opinion in Kaduna noted that no matter the postponement, those destined to win must surely win, even if they postpone four times.

Mrs Justin Bulus said God’s destiny could not be taken away and that those going to win are already known by God.

Yusuf Ambitious Alheti wondered why INEC would postpone the election by one week, adding that the electoral body should be guided so as not to shame Nigerians in the face of the international community.