Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday called for reorganisation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The obviously angry Oshiomhole made the call at the caucus meeting of the APC in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, in reaction to the postponement of Nigeria’s general election by the country’s electoral umpire.
The National Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, had on Saturday shocked many Nigerians by announcing at about 2:40 a.m., a few hours to the commencement of the polls, that the elections had been postponed over logistic problems. Accordingto Yakubu, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, 23 February.
The action of the commission has since been condemned by many Nigerians, including the political gladiators.
And at Monday’s meeting, which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, 11 APC governors, and other party leaders, Oshiomhole accused some INEC State Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of working with the main opposition PDP.
He also accused INEC of leaking its plan to postpone last Saturday’s elections to the PDP.
“We do not want staggered elections,” the party chairman said. Asfor President Buhari, he said: “The constitution and the laws protected INEC, but they must not take us for granted.”
