2015 Poll Shift: Activist demands resignation of Nigeria’s service chiefs

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Security service chiefs in the country have been urged to resign their appointments for failing to address security challenges in the country leading the shift in date of the 2015 General Elections.
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Mr Idris Miliki, Executive Director of Kogi-based Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) made the call on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja.

Miliki described the postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “highly unfortunate.”

He argued that the timetable was drawn and announced more than six months ago adding that Nigerians and INEC as well as the international community were prepared for the elections only to be confronted with a postponement few days to the elections.

“We consider this latest development from our security agents as a failure on their part and call for their resignation.

“While we acknowledge the security challenges in Nigeria and the need to put precautionary measures in place, the postponement in the entire country is uncalled for as the crises is mainly in three out of the 36 states.

Miliki said that elections in the three states ought to have been suspended or staggered to enable deployment of more troops and concentration of security on the area during their elections rather than hold the entire country to ransom.

According to him, the arrangement would still have ensured the constitutional provision of 25 per cent of total votes cast in two third of the federation (24 out of the 36 states) to declare a winner in the presidential election.

The activist also the wondered how the security agencies would be able to surmount in six weeks the insurgence they could not quell in over six years.

Miliki however warned that Nigerians might not be able to accept further postponement of the elections date as he called on INEC and security agencies to put their houses in order to conduct free, fair, transparent and acceptable election on the new dates. (NAN)

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