FCT election postponed over shortage of INEC staff

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the council election in the federal capital territory (FCT) from March 19 to April 9.

Jacob Jatau, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the FCT, announced this at an emergency stakeholders meeting in Abuja, explaining that the postponement was due to the challenges faced by the commission in recruiting ad hoc workers.

Jatau said that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) could not meet the target requested by the commission for the ad hoc job.

“The current challenge the commission is having is not being able to acquire the number of corps members requested for the election,” he said.

He said the commission had approached the University of Abuja to provide some students to make up the number of ad hoc staff needed  for the election.

Political parties expressed disappointment over the development, saying campaigns had been concluded.

Yahaya Suleiman, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the FCT, said political parties are not funded by INEC and the shift in date will involve spending of more money.

He added that resuming campaign in the extended time posed a problem to his party.

Suleiman therefore urged the commission to have a rethink on the issue.

Abdulmalik Usman, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also expressed displeasure over the development, and called on political parties in the area to hold an emergency meeting in order to take a position.

Abe Makunjuola of the National Conscience Party (NCP) also supported the idea of the emergency meeting, saying it was necessary for the parties to assess the development.

Oti Adeboye, a representative of the NYSC, attributed the shortage of ad hoc staff for the exercise to corps members’ fear of electoral violence.

“NYSC, the defenceless corps members are threatened by these political parties to alter result sheets of election and when they refuse, they are either killed or wounded seriously,” he said.

“Parents have warned their children/wards against partaking in the elections and because of what had happened in the past, we can’t blame them and will not force them to come out.”