Lawyers on Saturday affirmed the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reschedule elections but noted the Commission damaged its credibility with how it shifted presidential and national assembly polls.
Chief Niyi Akintola SAN observed the Electoral Act permitted the Commission to make polls adjustments in the national interest.
Section 26(1) of the Electoral 2010 (As Amended), says: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date, or it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election, provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.”
Akintola said: “INEC has powers to postpone polls. But the sad thing about this postponement is that it waited till very late at night, an unholy hour, disrupting the economy, the political lifeline of the country, the social traffic of the country.
“To make matters worse, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, denied around midnight that there was any postponement.
“People have travelled far and wide, Mr President travelled to his state, the Vice President had travelled. Practically everyone that is somebody had travelled back to their constituencies.
“See what it has caused the country? Yet there was no apology from INEC. It’s a big disappointment and has cast doubt on the credibility of the election.”
He urged INEC to learn from its mistakes and up its game.
