The NBA released a statement signed by the president of the NBA on the shocking postponement of the Elections in the wee hours of the Election day.
The statement read:
16 February 2019
POSTPONEMENT OF ELECTIONS
- The Nigerian Bar Association is confounded by and disappointed with the postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (“INEC”), in the wee hours of this morning, of the elections that were scheduled to hold today, 16 February 2019 and on 02 March 2019. We are confounded by the postponement, considering the serial assurances that INEC had, prior to this morning, given of its preparedness for the conduct of the elections; INEC had also expressly assured that postponement of the elections was not howsoever in contemplation. Our disappointment is compounded by the fact that none of the reasons that INEC has proffered justifies the postponement; all the reasons, with some diligence, could have been remediated.
- It was particularly unkind for INEC to announce the postponement only hours
to the opening of the polls for the national elections today, knowing as we all do that
most Nigerians register for elections in their States of origin and had traveled there
from their various stations to exercise their civic rights. The cost in manhours,
resources and inconveniences cannot be readily quantified not to mention the risk
to personal safety. Worse, we run the risk that some who may have to return to their
work stations early next week may not be able to travel again for the rescheduled
polls next weekend. We read the INEC announcement and listened to its broadcast
to hear how INEC intends to mitigate that possibility and nothing was said in that
regard. - INEC needs to be reminded that a free, fair and credible election starts with
the preparations therefor by the Electoral Commission. If the Commission is unable
to exercise its functions without avoidable glitches, it is difficult to see how it could
justifiably impose sanctions on infracting political parties who give excuses for their
infractions similar to the ones that INEC has given today for the postponement of the
elections. Regulatory authorities such as INEC require discipline and
foresightedness to carry out their functions. It is only by imbibing those twin virtues, amongst others and showing same by conduct that they can justifiably sanction
infracting parties over whom they exercise regulatory control. - NBA hopes that the new dates of 23 February 2019 and 09 March 2019 for
the rescheduled elections are sacrosanct and the preparations therefor will be
foolproof and glitch-free. Our democracy can only prosper and be strengthened if
our electoral umpire does not give room for disputation of election results through
sloppy arrangements and inadequate preparations. Our elections can only be
adjudged free, fair and credible if INEC does not give room for speculations or
concerns about its readiness and preparations for the elections. Nigerians can only
have faith in the electoral process if, amongst others, there is no room for
suppositions as to the motives – hidden, ulterior or unknown – of INEC for taking
certain actions, including but not limited to the postponement of elections. - In concluding, we urge Nigerians not to give up or tire out. We must give INEC
the benefit of the doubt and turn out in our numbers to vote for the parties of our
choice on the rescheduled dates for the elections i.e. 23 February 2019 and 09 March - As the NBA pointed out in its 2019 New Year Message:
“This is the year that we would decide both at the national and States levels
how we wish to be governed and into whose hands we will entrust our affairs
and lives . . . The decisions of our rulers directly impact and determine the
course of our lives. It determines the quality of our lives, not only from an
economic standpoint but also from our health, longevity and developmental
standpoints. Our decisions at the polls will determine the quality of life for
our youths and children from an educational prism as well as from the
perspectives of employment and self-development opportunities. The quality
of rulers that we will vote into power this year will determine whether we move
from a perennially consumptive economy into a productive and hopefully an
industrialized economy; it would determine whether we would, in our lifetimes
ever be assured of such basic necessities like pervasive energy supply and
provision of potable water and primary health care for our citizens. The
Elections of 2019 should and must therefore serve as a defining moment for
our country.”
Paul Usoro, SAN
President.
