NBA Backs Poll Shift, Urges INEC To Ensure PVC’s Are Distributed

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to utilize the six weeks postponement of the 2015 elections to ensure adequate distributions of Personal Voters Card, PVC’s to eligible voters. NBA in a press statement signed by Augustine Alegeh, President of NBA, argued that while INEC cannot conduct elections in isolation of the SECURITY agencies, the postponement falls within the constitution of Nigeria.
The Statement reads: The Nigerian Bar Association notes the decision of INEC to postpone the 2015 General Elections by six [6] weeks in the light of the security advisory received from the Security Agencies that the required security personnel are engaged in a military operation against Boko Haram and will not be available to protect Electoral materials and staff if the elections were held on 14th and 28th February, 2015 as originally scheduled.

The security advisory left INEC with no other option than to postpone the elections. INEC can certainly not be expected to proceed with the elections without the required security support. The new dates of 28th March and 11th April, 2015 fixed by INEC fall within the timeline provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 [as amended] CFRN.
We advise INEC to utilize the said six [6] week period to resolve the challenges surrounding the issuance of Permanent Voter’s Cards [PVCs]. There are still about 20 million PVCs yet to be collected by Voters while some PVCs are still being produced and/or awaiting delivery at this time. We restate our call on INEC, to request the Federal Government of Nigeria [FGN] to declare a minimum of two [2] work free days to enable voters collect their PVCs from their polling stations. INEC should also ensure that PVCs are produced for all voters whose names appear in the Voters’ REGISTER. PVCs are central to the success of the 2015 General Elections and INEC must apply its best endeavours to ensure that all problems in respect of PVCs are resolved well before the 28th of March, 2015. Our entire democratic experience depends on the success of the 2015 General Elections and INEC must ensure that everything necessary is put in place for a successful 2015 General Elections.
The NBA also notes that the SECURITY Advisory relied upon by INEC in postponing the 2015 General Elections indicates that Nigerian security forces are aggressively combating the Boko Haram insurgency and expect to totally eliminate the insurgents and secure the North Eastern States of Nigeria, that have taken the brunt of the insurgents’ attacks, in the next six [6] weeks.
The NBA hopes that this security advisory is not just to provide basis for postponing the elections as is being suggested in certain quarters, but represents the true and correct position of our security forces in their efforts to rid our Country of the Boko Haram insurgency. We await a positive and successful outcome of the security forces onslaught against Boko Haram as indicated in the security advisory.
Our security agencies must understand the disappointment of several groups who have expressed their reservations on the postponement of the elections as a result of the security advisory. The task before our security forces now is to deal decisively with the Boko Haram insurgency to resolve any lingering doubts about the good faith of the security advisory. If indeed the Boko Haram menace is routed in the next six [6] weeks all Nigerians will then appreciate and celebrate our security forces.
Dated 7th February, 2015
AUGUSTINE O. ALEGEH, SAN FCIArb 
PRESIDENT NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION

Comments