by Damilola Jagun

Finally, Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, has collected his permanent voters card,

Fashola picked up his card on Saturday, February 7, in Surulere LGA, where he expressed his disappointment at the postponement of the elections, which according to him, lacks merit.

Fashola said the claim by the security agencies that they could not guarantee security for the elections as initially scheduled indicated lack of preparedness for the polls on the part of the election management body.

He described the postponement as a ‘low point’ in governance, noting that change could undermine the democracy of the country.

“I think Nigerians must be disappointed by the postponement of the polls from February to March because it seems as if INEC was ambushed to take that decision. The shift will have consequences for us as a nation; the credibility of our governance is regrettably diminished. I do not know of any serious democracy that has set election dates then change them.”

“I think when a country sets a process in motion like this, it ought to know that there would be political and economic consequences. Investors watch what is going on. It is really disappointing and when you hear the Federal Government saying they cannot guarantee security, it is more disappointing.”

“Security is the primary responsibility of the government and whether the nation holds election or not, it is the duty of government to provide security. If countries like Afghanistan and Syria where there is war, internal conflicts still had elections ,I do not see why we can’t.”

Furthermore, Fashola said: “Again, we had elections in 2011 and some of these terror acts had started in 2010. So where was the ability to guarantee security then?”

He, however, enjoined Nigerians to remain calm over the development, adding that the regardless of the postponement of the elections, Nigerians would still exercise their franchise.