N’East Govs Reject Move To Postpone 2015 Elections

Governors Murtala
Nyako, Kashim Shettima and Ibrahim Gaidam of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states respectively, whose states are currently under the siege of Boko Haram insurgency, have rejected the move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exclude the states from the 2015 general elections.
The governors, in a statement jointly  issued on Wednesday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, by their spokespersons, Ahmad Sajoh for Nyako, Isa Gusau for Shettima and Abdullahi Bego for Gaidam, challenged INEC to take a clue from war-ravaged Afghanistan where presidential and provincial elections were held last Saturday in spite of threat of insurgency by the Taliban terrorist group.
INEC had recently gave indications of excluding the three states currently under a State of Emergency, from the 2015 general elections on account of Boko Haram threats.
The governors also pointed out that the Afghan government provided adequate security for the conduct of the polls and therefore urged the Federal Government to emulate the Afghan government.
According to them, Afghanistan and her people were celebrated worldwide for liberating themselves from the scourge of fear, thereby sending a strong signal that no amount of threat could stop them from choosing their leaders through a democratic process.
The statement which was made available to The Tide reads in part: “Our Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should please learn from the landmark election that took place in Afghanistan at the weekend, during which election officials took the bold step of going  on to conduct election in spite of threats by the Taliban to send end the country into extinction if the elections were held.
“The central government in Afghanistan provided adequate security for the conduct of the polls. It was also reported that there was a 53 per cent voter turn-out during the elections and it went on peacefully in most places.
“We all know that the unfortunate insurgency affecting this country has a similar attribute to the Taliban doctrine in Afghanistan even though ours is now assuming a complicated character.
“The INEC should as a matter of counter-insurgency approach, ensure that no part of Nigeria is excluded from the 2015 elections  on account of threats.”
The governors warned that suspending elections in their states on account of threats by insurgents and other sundry social miscreants  would amount to succumbing to the Boko Haram doctrine as well as conceding victory to the insurgents.
“Should INEC go ahead with its initially considered exclusion of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno State from the 2015 elections, all criminal gangs need to do, is to extend the attacks to other parts of Nigeria and have more places excluded from future elections. This will then imply that crime and criminality will be victorious in suspending constitutional democracy in Nigeria,” the statement said.
The governors also rejected the move by the Federal Government to extend the State of Emergency in their states, saying there was “absolutely no reason to even contemplate an extension” in any of the three states.
“It must be noted that a counter-insurgency strategy that lasted one year without achieving the desired result required a redefinition rather than extension. The Federal Government should always remember that it has the obligation of protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians in all parts of the country without necessarily putting them under any special condition. It has the option of putting a security structure in place that can continue and intensify ongoing counter-insurgency operations without an extension of emergency rule,” the governors stated.

Boye Salau