‘Postponement Of Elections, A National Sacrifice’

Senate President David Mark says the set-back occasioned by the postponement of the National Assembly elections should be seen as a national sacrifice.

The call was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, in Abuja.

The statement quoted Mark as calling on Nigerians to come out en-mass on Saturday, April 9, the new date for the elections, to elect members of the National Assembly.

“Mark urged Nigerians to persevere and exhibit high level of patriotism to ensure that the elections reflected the wishes and yearnings of the nation,” it said.

The statement expressed optimism that INEC would rise to the occasion after the short-comings that necessitated the postponement, and conduct “free, fair and credible elections that would meet international standard and satisfy all stakeholders”.

“This is a temporary set-back. It will test our resilience and perseverance as a people determined to chart the right course for our generation and those yet unborn.

“I believe that if we get it right this time, we would have laid a solid foundation that would be built upon by successive administrations and people,” it quoted Mark as saying.

The statement advised INEC not to leave anything to chance “in the onerous task of conducting elections in this challenging environment.”

It quoted Mark as saying that the task should not be left in the hands of INEC alone.

“All of us, Nigerians and even friends of Nigeria must cooperate and contribute positively to the making of a new dawn in our electoral process.

“We must all imbibe the culture of being our brothers’ keeper because we all have a stake in this country,” the statement quoted the Senate President as saying.

It called on all Nigerians to continue to participate in the electioneering process, “because the outcome negatively or positively will affect all of us”.

Also reacting, Rep Eseme Eyiboh, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs said the new election timetable was the outcome of a process “painstakingly and diligently done”.

“Any postponement is to make sure that a level playing field is created for all stakeholders.

“So I implore all to cooperate and show a level of understanding. This will lead us to actualize our desire for free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

Eyiboh (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said that Jega was not God but a human being.

“He is acting within the limit of human capacity. He has demonstrated diligent and patriotism and uncommon attitude in his steadfastness,” he said.