Poll shift: APC campaign demands daily update from INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should brief Nigerians on its level of preparedness daily.

The council said this in reaction to the postponement of the polls by the electoral commission.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Babatunde Fashola, head directorate of election planning and monitoring; and Hadiza Bala-Usman, head directorate of contact and mobilisation, expressed disappointment over INEC’s decision to shift the polls.

Fashola said the APC would not allow the shortcomings of INEC deter Nigerians from exercising their franchise.

The minister of power, works and housing asked Nigerians to convert their disappointment to determination and ensure that their previous sacrifice does not go to waste.

“In this episode, millions of Nigerians have sacrificed their time, resources and convenience to perform this national civic duty only to be disappointed by the postponement,” he said.

“To the stranded youth corpers, we empathise with you. To the voters and volunteers who have travelled at great cost to cast their votes, we empathise with you.

“To party agents and our party faithful we empathise with you. Our sympathies go to all those people and we urge them not to despair. As a result of the common pain shared by us all, we, the directorate of election planning and monitoring, and contact and mobilisation on behalf of APC campaign council, demand greater openness and transparency in the commission’s preparations ahead of Saturday 23rd February 2019.

“We believe that members of the public should know: What steps INEC have taken with CBN to assess, take inventory of materials and brief the public about what their condition is.

“The status of INEC’s plans to procure and provide materials for election and in particular let Nigerians know if all materials required are in country and if not what plans the commission has to ensure that they are.

“INEC’s plans to re-deploy and distribute materials ahead of Saturday 23rd 2019. The specific problems INEC encountered in the failed attempt of Saturday 16th February 2019 and measures it has taken to overcome them?

“What transport logistics and further materials INEC require in terms of vehicles, boats, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, manpower and funding INEC requires to execute the elections of February 23rd and March 9th.

“Confirmation that the configuration of the card readers will be completed in readiness of Saturday 23rd 2019. In addition to all of these, we believe that INEC should brief Nigerians daily on an ongoing basis until this process is concluded.”