Election Postponement: Atiku Calls For Calm

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to be patient following the postponement of the general elections by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Abubakar, in a statement issued on Saturday, 16th February, 2019 in Yola urged Nigerians not to react to the postponement with violence, but come out to vote on the new day.

INEC had, on Saturday morning, shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday 16th February, 2019 to 23rd February, 2019, while state elections also scheduled for 2nd March, 2019 to 9th March, 2019.

Abubakar said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections adding that Nigerians were poised to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday.

According to Pulse News, He said that the postponement was to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate to ensure that the turnout was low on the rescheduled date.

“As such, I call on all Nigerians to be patient. We have tolerated the maladministration of this government for four years. We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes.

“Maintain the peace and be law abiding. Do not react to this provocation with anger, violence or any action that might be exploited by those who do not want this election to hold. Remain calm.

“We will overcome this. You can postpone an election, but you cannot postpone destiny. Please come out to vote on Saturday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, March 9 respectively.

“Frustrate those who do not want this election to hold by coming out in very large numbers. That is the best antidote to their plans“, he said.

Election Postponement: Atiku Blames Buhari

According to a statement sent to Pulse, the PDP presidential candidate said President Buhari should be blamed.

Atiku said the postponement is part of the Federal Government’s plan to disenfranchise Nigerians.

He also called on his supporters to be patient, peaceful and law-abiding as they go about their business.

“As you know, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a postponement of the elections until 23 February and 9 March respectively.

“The Buhari administration has had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections and the Nigerian people were poised and ready to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, 16 February, 2019.

“This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turn out is low on the rescheduled date. Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively.

“Knowing that the Nigerian people are determined to reject them, they are desperate and will do anything in their power to avoid their rejection by the Nigerian people.

“Their plan is to provoke the public, hoping for a negative reaction, and then use that as an excuse for further anti-democratic acts.

“As such, I call on all Nigerians to be patient. We have tolerated the maladministration of this government for four years. We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes.

“Maintain the peace and be law abiding. Do not react to this provocation with anger, violence or any action that might be exploited by those who do not want this election to hold. Remain calm. We will overcome this. You can postpone an election, but you cannot postpone destiny.”