20110403
vanguard

Lagos — The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, has rescheduled the voting dates for the 2011 general elections.



Professor Jega made the announcement Sunday at the INEC headquarters after a meeting with the Chairmen of all the (63) political parties in the country, rescheduling the election dates as follows:

The three elections were earlier scheduled to hold as follows: National Assembly Elections, Saturday, April 2; Presidential Elections, Saturday, April 9; and House of Assembly/Governorship Elections, Saturday, April 16.

Addressing journalists after the meeting with the political party chairmen, Jega said:

“Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the rescheduling of the 2011 National Assembly, Senate and the House of Representatives elections from April 2, to April 4, 2011, due to late arrival of sensitive election materials.

“Since that announcement, several representations have been made to the Commission, urging it to consult more widely and to ensure that the two-day postponement is enough to address all the logistical issues that will militate against a successful conduct of the rescheduled election.

“We have just finished a meeting with the Chairmen of all the political parties in the country which is part of this wide consultations and representations which we have received.

“Following these representations and the subsequent consultations we had with stake holders, the Commission has found that the overwhelming sentiment is to further reschedule the rescheduled elections.

Shareef Ilah/Vanguard

Voters line up in Kano on Saturday.

“Requests to reschedule the National Assembly elections have come from a cross section of stake holders including political parties and civil society organizations.

“However, rescheduling the National Assembly elections would have implications for the schedule of all the other elections.

“Consequently, the Commission weighed all the options and considered the wide ranging counsel of Nigerians and decided to reschedule all the elections as follows:

“Saturday, April 9, Senate and House of Representatives Elections;
“Saturday, April 16, Presidential Elections;
“Tuesday, April 26, State House of Assembly and Governorship Elections”.