Date Published: 04/02/11

National Assembly Elections postponed till April 4th...Jonathan returns to Abuja
*Jega blames Libyan war and tsunami in japan for late arrival of electoral materials from Japan

Goodluck Jonathan

Attahiru Jega

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, Chairman of the Commission, Professor Atahiru Jega, cited logistic challenges. He specifically explained that the vendor contracted by the commission to supply result sheets and ballots papers encountered a hitch in Japan due to the Nuclear reactor crisis in that country.

According to him, flights were being diverted owing to the nuclear crisis and the war in Libya.“We have been disappointed by a vendor who was to deliver the materials by Thursday afternoon but did not deliver. He said there was a problem in Japan and planes were being diverted and assured us that it will come on Saturday. We got the Airforce to lay down aircraft at the airports to airlift the materials.

“We were also given another time of 5.30am on Saturday but it didn’t arrive. It only arrived by 9.30 am and we could not distribute it to the affected areas in good time. I take responsibility and I am sorry. All materials are now available in the country and by Monday, we will be ready”, he said.

Jega, however, stated that some of the materials were available in Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Zamfara and other states but the commission could not proceed in order to ensure a uniform election.

He said the areas most affected by lack of materials include North-Central and North-West where the unamed vendor was supposed to service.

He also admitted that result sheets also billed to be supplied by the vendor, were not available in all the states of the federation.

Jega further assured that all electoral materials required for the election are now in the country but there was insufficient time between accreditation and voting time hence the postponement.

He said the commission would inform all political parties, international observers and other stakeholders of the development and apologized profusely for what has been described in some quarters as“a national embarrassment”.

“The decision is weighty but a very important step. We are cabable of conducting an election. If we want free, fair and credible elections, we need to take steps to get result sheets and other materials ready.

It is regrettable, unfortunate and should not have happened. But man proposes and God disposes”, he said.

Responding to a question on the status of Monday, April 4, 2011, the new date for the election, he said it would be the decision of the Federal Government to decide whether it should be a public holiday or not but preferred a work free day.

There have also been shrill calls by some stakeholders for the INEC chairman to resign his position for letting the nation down while others have commended Jega for taking responsibility and apologizing to the nation.