by Kolapo Olapoju

It was supposed to be a meeting to brief parties on the preparations for next month’s general elections on Wednesday, January 28, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met with the parties’ leaders in Abuja.

INEC invited the parties for briefing on its preparations for the election, including the status of the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the use of card readers, relocation of polling units and other logistics.

However, it became a shouting match between the representatives of  the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the United Progressives Party (UPP), who were against the postponement of the election, and other parties, who argued that the polls should be postponed to allow the electoral commission prepare adequately.

It is believed that virtually all the parties, except the APC and the UPP, were in favour of postponing the elections.

The representative of the APC, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who was said to have been screaming at the top of his voice, was of the opinion that shifting the elections would not be acceptable to Nigerians.

As he made the stand of his party clear on the issue, other political parties reportedly threatened to boycott the elections, if doesn’t get postponed.

Perturbed by the turn of events,  INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, intervened by saying the commission would take the best possible decision.

A source, who was privy to the development, recounted the incident: “Though the issue was not on the agenda, a lesser party and its presidential candidate began the discussion on Jega’s address by asking for the postponement of the elections. Like a rehearsed script, others joined the chorus and started impressing on INEC why it must shift the poll. They alleged that most registered voters were yet to get their PVCs.”

“The vehemence of these parties suggested a kind of alliance. It also showed that some forces were pulling the strings. But the APC team, led by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, opposed the demand. The UPP delegation, under the leadership of its presidential candidate, Chief Chekwas Okorie, also said polls postponement would damage the nation’s reputation in the comity of nations.”

“At a point, the other parties threatened to boycott the polls and they started shouting, ‘APC, UPP, we will leave you and INEC to participate in the February elections and then we will see if this will be acceptable to Nigerians and the international community.”

Another source said: “They pointed accusing fingers at each other like school children and it was a big shame watching these leaders create a rowdy scene before an umpire. At a stage, Jega took control by merely adding a clincher: ‘We will take the best decision.’ This intervention calmed frayed nerves and orderliness was restored,” the source said.

Kolapo Olapoju