2019 May Not Hold As Planned – NPC National Chairman

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – The National Chairman of the Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC), Barrister Suleiman Ahmed Akasawua, has raised alarm that with the way things are going, the 2019 general elections may not hold as planned.
He explained that it is less than three months to the 2019 general elections, INEC and other stakeholders are not certain on the Electoral Act to use on the coming elections.
In a statement he issued, he said, “It is not certain whether it is the 2010 Electoral Act that will be used for the forthcoming elections or the new Electoral Bill passed by the National Assembly which is yet to be signed into law by the President, there is no guarantee that the President will sign the bill into law.
“This creates confusion and uncertainty as regards the legal regime that will guide the forthcoming general elections. Furthermore, the budget for the conduct of the 2019 elections which has been passed by the National Assembly is also yet to be signed into law by the President.
“This makes one to wonder how INEC will be able to conduct the elections as planned when it is yet to go through the stringent procurement processes set by law for the procurement and importation of gadgets and technological know-how needed for the conduct of the 2019 elections.”
Barrister Akasawua appealed to President Buhari to sign the new electoral bill and the INEC budget into law as soon as possible so that the present uncertainty hovering over the elections will be removed.