The National Security Advisor for Nigeria, Sambo Dasuki wants the country’s Electoral Commission to delay the upcoming general elections.
[contextly_sidebar id=”iqdX3Eyjf752NYPHNeITtCerBYpTmCro”]This, he said will ensure the voter card distribution is successfully completed since the nation will be using biometric cards.
Mr Dasuki is quoted by the BBC as saying 30 million biometric cards have so far been distributed but there are remaining 30 million cards to be given to citizens.
Nigeria is introducing the use of the biometric cards to prevent electoral fraud
Speaking at the London think-tank Chatham House, Nigeria’s Security Chief said he had advised the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to postpone the February polls within the three months it had to legally take place.
“It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law,” Mr Dasuki said he had told the Inec chairman.
He was of the view that a postponement would be “safer for all of us”.
“If in one year you’ve distributed 30 million, I don’t see how you will distribute another 30 million in two weeks. It doesn’t make sense.”
But Inec spokesman Kayode Idowu said there were currently no plans to delay, according to Reuters news agency.
“It is not a conversation of the commission’s at all. As far as we are talking now, the date is what it is,” Mr Idowu said.
Meanwhile ECOWAS chairman, President John Mahama has served notice that the February elections in Nigeria will take place despite the rise in Boko Haram attacks on citizens.
According to him, postponing the polls will give an undeserving victory to Boko Haram militants.
By: citifmonline.com/Ghana