Suspended elections in Nigeria: INEC announces new dates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced new dates for some of the suspended elections in the country.

According to its Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, the Kogi and Imo rerun elections, which were suspended as a result of infractions, would hold on July 23, 2016.

Also, Rivers and Kano will take turn on July 30.

The dates, which were announced yesterday in Abuja at the end of the National Stakeholders Forum on outstanding rerun, were agreed to by all stakeholders.

Only recently, INEC boss said the only condition for conducting rerun in states where elections were inconclusive as a result of violence was for stakeholders to give assurance of providing the enabling environment for peaceful conduct of elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is committed to concluding the suspended elections in Rivers, Imo, Kogi and Kano states disrupted by violence, not later than July 31, 2016, provided that necessary consultations and activities leading to the elections were concluded and that conditions were conducive enough for the conduct of the elections.

“In spite of this commitment, it would not return to conduct elections or hesitate to further postpone or discontinue the suspended elections in any area where there was imminent threat to lives or to peace or security, especially where such threats were likely to lead to breakdown of law and order.

Yakubu had gone on to blame the spate of inconclusive elections on activities of politicians, who want to win at all cost.