SI4DEV Statement on INEC postponing the national election in Nigeria
We wish to express our thank to all our partners, members and volunteers. It was calming reading their posts as the news broke and inspiring too. Those of us focused on nation building are not deterred. Whether next week or next month, we will come out to do our duty.
But let it be said, this postponement at such a late hour is embarrassing and quite worrying if a sign of INEC being a fragile institution under pressure from various sources.
We are careful and watchful, and will however give INEC benefit of the doubt. They are assumed Patriots unless proven otherwise and so this decision, we will conclude, could only have been taken for the good of the country and best outcomes for the election.
We are among those negatively impacted by this postponement, and will have to reschedule the launching of our project in Uyo earlier fixed for the 23rd, after weeks of planning – invitations sent out and attendance by high profile stakeholders confirmed.
The INEC chairman omitted any apologies from his statement but we wish to commiserate with those who traveled to their polling units, or cut short business trips, or who like us had planned events for 23rd that need to be rescheduled.
Some of our volunteers are NYSC adhoc staff moving about on dangerous roads and sleeping outdoors, and we want to encourage them and all other corpers doing their bit for the motherland. We feel for small businesses who invested in more stock for this weekend, in preparation for election crowds that are now nowhere to be seen. May everything work out for good for all, and may they be granted strength and fortitude to do it all over next week for the greatness of Nigeria.
For us at SI4DEV, our #votesquad campaign continues, to increase voter turnout in the elections, both national and state. Please see www.si4dev.org/votesquad for more details.
The message is simple. Everyone with a PVC should go out and vote, and try to convince few others with PVC in your area to do so. Each person should try to convince at least 3 others to cast their ballot.
Citizen participation is how we bring about change and progress in Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria and God bless all of us.
Thank you for this.