The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) Enugu State Chapter, has called on Nigerian eligible voters to live above the postponement of the of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission and come out massively to exercise their civic responsibility of voting for credible candidates during the newly scheduled elections dates.
It will be recalled that few hours to the commencement of the polls, last Saturday, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, postponed the Presidential and National Assembly, NASS, polls by one week, citing logistics challenges. While the presidential and NASS elections will now hold on February 23, the governorship and state House of Assembly polls will be conducted on March 9.
Reacting to this development in Enugu on Tuesday, CUPP Enugu state chapter in a press statement signed by the state Chairman, Hon. Festus Ogbonna and State Secretary, Barr. Ken Ikeh, described the postponement as electoral gimmick aimed at discouraging a majority of Nigerians from participating in the 2019 general elections.
According to the statement, CUPP Enugu state chapter, urged Nigerian voters to remain steadfast in ensuring that they exercise their civic duties adding “Nigeria is the only country we can call ours and all hands must be on deck to vote credible leaders that would proffer quality leadership in the country.
“We must ensure that we achieve a free, fair and credible 2019 general elections. We view the postponement few hours to the commencement of the polls as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise majority of Nigerians whose income level may not accommodate the luxury of frequent travels from their stations to their voting points and all those who did not make provisions for elongated stay in the said voting points.”
The group condemned the postponement anchored on a thin excuse of deficit in her logistics and operational plans.
They however commended INEC for reviewing her stand and call on political parties to resume campaign and mobilization of electorates in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act which states that electioneering campaigns shall stop 24 hours before the election. st Tab
