The Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday announced a shift in the 2015 general elections earlier slated for February 14 and 28.
Announcing the postponement at a press conference in Abuja some few hours ago, the chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said the presidential and national assembly elections will now hold on March 28 while the governorship and state houses of assemblies election will take place on April 11.
The INEC chair blamed the elections postponement on the inability of the nation’s security agencies to provide manpower for the elections.
According to Jega, the security agencies told INEC that they were commencing a six-week special operation against Boko Haram insurgents in the north eastern part of the country and would rather not be weighed in by the elections.
Mr. Jega announced that the security agencies also informed the commission that operations to dislodge the sect are due to commence on February 14, the date earlier slated for the presidential and federal legislative elections.
This decision by the security forces, Jega said, rendered INEC’s readiness and earlier stance that it was going to go ahead with the elections a risky venture.
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