16th February, 2019
Some residents of Benin, Edo, have expressed shock over the postponement of the general elections by one week by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The respondents spoke on Saturday that they traveled from their various locations to Benin to exercise their civic responsibility.
Mr Osakwe Igbenigbi, a banker, condemned the development, adding that the situation was capable of discouraging some voters to exercise their franchise.
“INEC had has taken a wrong decision, I don’t stay here, I live in Lagos. After traveling from Lagos, INEC postponed the elections, it is bad because it will discourage people from voting.
“I am not sure I will be coming next week again because I can’t travel the distance again,” he said.
Mrs Lydia Omoye, a trader said that the postponement of the election was capable of changing the minds of people who truly wanted to vote.
“I came from Lokoja because of this election. I am disappointed and I don’t think I will be able to risk another traveling by next week,” she said.
Another citizen, Dr Omorogbe Ikponwonsa, a medical doctor, appealed to voters not to be discouraged by the postponement of the elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections to Feb. 23, while the governorship and state assembly elections were also shifted from March 2 to March 9.
In 2015, the presidential election was shifted from Feb. 14 to March 28, while the governorship and state assembly elections scheduled for Feb. 28, were shifted to April 11.