Guber Election: Zamfara Residents Express Disappointment Over Postponement

Some electorate in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital have expressed their disappointment over the rescheduling of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from the 11th of March to the 18th.

They say the action of the commission was uncalled for, given the fact that INEC had been preparing for the elections for the past four years.

They also observed that the commission had no reason to reschedule the elections because it started preparing for the elections about four years ago and should have factored-in, the legal battles in its planning.

Hamzah Ibrahim and Suleiman Ibrahim are both voters, who had prepared to cast their votes on 11th March.

They say they are not happy with the news of the rescheduling of the election.

They are calling on the commission to ensure that it transmits the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly Elections results electronically, as earlier promised by the commission.

The Chairman, Coalition of Non-governmental Organizations in Zamfara State, Ambassador Ibrahim Tudu, said the rescheduling of the Governorship and State Assembly elections has greatly disrupted the plans and economic activities of people who have closed their shops for a week and travelled to their hometowns to participate in the exercise.

Others had scheduled weddings and other ceremonies, only to be told that the election has been postponed, resulting in financial waste.

He warned that the postponement should be the last.

Ambassador Tudu said he is surprised that INEC is still struggling with the movement of election materials, despite assurances that it is committed and ready to conduct the General Elections.

In his view, INEC should be unbundled, to reduce its workload.

Ambassador Ibrahim Tudu advised INEC to always factor in alternative plans in the conduct of any elections.