The main opposition party in Nigeria, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has responded to the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift elections from February 14th to March 28th for the presidential and national assembly elections.
The APC statement which called INEC’s action ‘provocative’ also appealed for calm from its supporters. It was signed by its National Chaiman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Statement in full below:
The All Progressives Congress, APC has just heard over the news media that The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decided to postpone the elections by six weeks on the strength of a letter by the security chiefs that they cannot provide security for the elections nationwide because of the commitment of its resources to fight insurgency in the north eastern part of the country.
This is clearly a major setback for Nigerian democracy, and our Party is meeting in emergency session to study its implications and will inform Nigerians of its decisions in the next few days.
In the meantime though what has happened is highly provocative, I strongly appeal to all Nigerians to remain calm and desist from violence and any activity which will compound this unfortunate development. We must not fall into this obvious trap.
Change we must. They can only delay it; No one can stop it. I want to assure all Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress will not abandon its commitment to change and will sustain the struggle to establish a new Nigeria.
