2015: Jega says there will be no election in states under emergency rule

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Monday in Abuja that it would not be able conduct the 2015 general elections in states under the state of emergency rule.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ forum on the preparation and challenges ahead of the 2015 general elections, organised by the Senate Committee on INEC.

Jega said that the decision by the commission was to avoid contravening the law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had in November extended the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to six months.

Jega, however, said that the commission was hopeful that the security situation in the affected states would improve before the 2015 general elections.

“We are working very closely with security agencies and our hope is that the security challenges in these areas will be long addressed before the 2015 elections.

“We hope that these challenges will be solved or dramatically reduced before 2015. What is clear is that, we cannot conduct elections under a period of emergency.

“If there is generalised insecurity, how can we hold elections? .It will be disrupted or people will not come out. Ideally, elections should not hold under a period of emergency.”

Jega said security was a systemic challenge, but stressed that the commission was working hand in hand with security agencies to ensure adequate security in 2015.

He, however, assured that preparations for the 2015 general elections were on top gear, adding that the commission would need about N92.9 billion to conduct the elections. - DailyPost