INEC was compelled to shift election dates in five states – Jega

Punch

23 February 2012

INEC was compelled to shift election dates in five states – Jega

THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday said the electoral body was compelled to adjust the dates for governorship elections in the five states that the Supreme Court sacked their governors.

Jega said this at a stakeholders’ forum organised by INEC for the 12 political parties and their candidates in the February 25 governorship election in Cross River State.

He explained that the Electoral Act empowers INEC to fix dates for elections.

Jega said INEC agreed to adjust the elections dates in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River and Sokoto states in order not to leave a vacuum in the governance of the affected states.

The Supreme Court recently sacked governors of the five states, saying their tenure had ended since they had spent four years from the time of their original oath of office.