Poll shift may return military rule —Ex-generals.

Some retired senior military
officers have warned against the
postponement of the February
general elections to avoid military
takeover of the administration of
the country.
They warned that the
postponement might lead to
anarchy in the country, which,
according to them, may lead to
military intervention.
A former Director of Procurement in
the Defence Headquarters,
Brigadier-General Ayodele Ojo
(retd.), in an interview with SUNDAY
PUNCH, described the recent call
made by the National Security
Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for the
general elections to be postponed
as a step towards military rule.
According to Ojo, the suggestion by
the NSA for the deferment of the
polls is capable of creating a
constitutional crisis that can abort
the nation’s democracy.
On Thursday, Dasuki stated that the
postponement of next month’s
elections would give the
Independent National Electoral
Commission more time to
distribute over 30 million
outstanding Permanent Voter Cards
to registered voters.
The NSA said rescheduling the
elections would cost INEC and the
Federal Government nothing,
adding, “It’s still within the law.”
However, Ojo told SUNDAY PUNCH
that INEC and the Federal
Government should not entertain
such a suggestion.
He said, “It is a backward step to the
dark days of military rule when
anti-democratic forces, on the eve
of the June 12, 1993 presidential
poll, were able to secure a dubious
injunction from an Abuja High Court
restricting the National Electoral
Commission from conducting the
election.
“This singular act was instrumental
to the annulment of the election. It
is worrisome that the call, this time
around, is coming from a highly
placed security official of the
Nigerian government. Moreover,
the reason given for the
postponement is untenable, to say
the least.”
The former director at the DHQ
added that if the call for a
postponement was based on
allowing would-be voters to collect
their PVCs, the Federal Government
could consider declaring a public
holiday.
Ojo added, “What I think is required
is for the Federal Government to
declare Friday, February 6, 2015 as a
work-free day to enable affected
voters the last opportunity to
collect their PVCs.
“INEC could also use that weekend
before the presidential election as
a dress rehearsal. This will require
INEC to deploy its entire staff on
that Friday and Saturday for the
voters to collect their PVCs from the
polling units, where they are
expected to vote the following
Saturday of the presidential
election.
“This, I believe, will take care of this
problem without resort to
postponing the election, thereby
creating unnecessary and
avoidable crises. This suggestion by
the NSA is uncalled for and must be
resisted by all Nigerians in order to
avoid plunging the country into
self-inflicted crisis.”
Another military General who
pleaded anonymity told one of our
correspondents that INEC should
not be stopped from going ahead
with next month’s election.
He warned that politicians must be
extremely careful not to trigger
crisis that they may not be capable
of handling.
He said, “I think we have to be very
careful in this case. It may be the
beginning of untoward things. We
have to be extremely careful. Let
the elections go on as scheduled.
Let us avert any strife that may
spring up. The military has taken
over in this country before and we
have to be careful that it doesn’t
happen again.”
Also, a former Commandant,
Nigerian Army School of Infantry,
Brig.-Gen. Williams Obene (retd.),
warned against heating up the
polity with the postponement.
He said, “I think the polity is really
fired up; there are so many
reactions, interpretations and
misunderstandings. And if we say
we are a democratic country
practising civilian democracy, then
we have to work by the rule of law.
If that is not done through the
constitution, then it can attract
anarchy.”
In the same vein, a former Minister
for Police Affairs, Maj.-Gen. David
Jemibewon (retd.), warned that
postponement of the elections
could cause confusion in the
country.
In an interview with one of our
correspondents in Ilorin on Friday,
he argued that postponement of
elections was unknown to the
Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
Jemibewon stated that
postponement was unnecessary as,
according to him, nobody knows
what will happen within the 90
days, if it is postponed.
He said, “I think we are being
guided by the constitution of this
country. Certainly, there is no
provision for postponement of
elections. However, if there is an
emergency; if there is war; if there
is disaster of a wide scale, it may be
dictated by circumstances.
“Where do we say we derive the
postponement? Is it from the
constitution? The National
Assembly has not debated it. It is an
unnecessary talk.
“You may only consider it if there is
an emergency or if there is war. The
situation would have dictated it but
which situation can we now say has
dictated it?
“Do you know what will happen
within the 90 days? That means
when the 90th day comes, some
people will gather again and
postpone it for another 30 days or
90 days. What are the criteria for
wanting to postpone just for 90
days?”
Similarly, pro-democracy activists
have warned against
postponement of the elections. The
Convener, Coalition of Democrats
for Electoral Reform, Mr. Ayo
Opadokun, warned that
postponement of the elections
could be an invitation for a military
take-over to defend the
constitution of the country.
The former Secretary-General of
the Yoruba socio-political group,
Afenifere, and the National
Democratic Coalition urged
Nigerians to resist such an idea,
saying Nigerians should not give
the military an opportunity for
takeover again, given the
experience of the country.
Opadokun said, “The argument of
the proponent of the
postponement is not structurally
right neither does it command
respect, if you consider the
implication.”