ENUGU RESIDENTS FROWN UPON ELECTION POSTPONMENT

Some people in Enugu State have expressed their reservations on the rescheduling of the presidential and National Assembly elections to February 23, 2019.

They described the postponement as an economic waste as many Nigerians have left their businesses and travelled to various locations to vote in the elections.

Just after the news of the postponement filtered in, Enugu Metropolis remained free of its usual bustle of activities as many people were yet to come to terms with the postponement, while others were not in the know of the development.

Speaking on the postponement former minister of Information, Chief Frank Nweke Junior, said that rescheduling of the elections portrayed the country in bad light especially among the international election observers.

An elder statesman and former Commissioner for education in old Anambra State, Chief Nduka Eya, decried what he termed the culture of postponement in Nigeria’s electoral calendar.

Mr. Eya cited that postponement in 2011, 2015 and 2019 as blight in the nation’s democracy.

Others including a former Local Government Chairman, Mr. Afam Okereke and a Public Affairs Commentator, Mr. Chinedu Aroh, expressed regret the huge economic losses incurred by many Nigerians who had closed their businesses in anticipation of the election.

They were of the view that the time of announcing the postponement was too short for Nigerians to make alternatives plans. The Independent National electoral Commission had in early hours of today stated that presidential and National Assembly elections will be hold on February 23 while the new date for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections is March 9.

OBINNA OGBUKA