The National Council of States on Thursday said the next general elections scheduled for February 14 and 28 must hold go on as planned with the possibility of postponing elections in the Boko Haram-held areas in the northeast.
The Council also discussed the state of security in the country during its 8-hour meeting.
There were rumours earlier this week that the Council of States may endorse the clamour for shifting the elections to later dates. While the Council lacks constitutional power to post the elections, its endorsement of postponement would have emboldened the People’s Democratic Party-led federal government to take such bold step.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State told reporters after the meeting that INEC assured the Council it was ready to conduct the elections and that the distribution of the permanent voter cards was going well.
Mr. Okorocha said the nation’s security chiefs also said they were ready for the elections but raised concern about the possibility of elections holding in areas under the control of Boko haram insurgents.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State however later told journalists that the council advised INEC to reflect over the concerns raised by members and the suggestion made by those who spoke in taking a decision that would allow for the conduct of smooth elections.
President Goodluck Jonathan presided over the meeting, where national issues bordering on the nation’s security and the elections were deliberated upon.
All former Presidents and Heads of State — Shehu Shagari, Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Interim National Government President Ernest Shonekan — except Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, attended the meeting.
Other participants were Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Musdafa Belgore.
Governors of Anambra, Kogi, Katsina, Kano, Osun, Imo, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Cross River, Enugu and Delta states were also in attendance.
Also present were Governors of Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, acting governor of Taraba while Abia, Oyo and Borno were represented by their deputy governors.
The National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), FCT Minister Bala Muhammed and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke also attended.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Attahiru Jega, and the nation’s security chiefs made presentation to the meeting, which started around 11.56 a.m. and ended after 7.pm.
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