CNPP insists on February polls

THE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has asked the Federal Government to not shift the February polls, insisting that there was no basis for the postponement given the level of distribution of permanent voters cards (PVC).

   Rising from their emergency meeting in Abuja Tuesday, the CNPP spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, told newsmen: “Whereas we agree that there is insecurity in some parts of the country and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been less than proactive, until recently in the distribution of the PVCs, however, the postponement may lead to unintended consequences.”

   To that end, the CNPP appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to, “in the collective interest of our fledgling democracy, candidly appeal to the anti-democrats and jesters in his camp, who pretend to be protecting his interest, but wittingly or unwittingly subverting our democracy, to allow the February poll to hold.”

   It warned Jonathan that some of the agents of such postponement do not mean well for the country and should be cautioned. It further urged the nation’s justices not to allow their sacred offices be used to truncate the nation’s nascent democracy as the infamous Association for Better Nigeria scuttled the June 12, 1993 elections.