The residents of Kaduna state have expressed displeasure over the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled for February 16, 2019.
The postponement came as a shock to the residents who had prepared to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice, as they woke to the news of the unprepared postponement by the electoral umpire.
Our reporter who monitored the situation in Kaduna reports that majority of the shops in the metropolis were under lock and key, as Kaduna became shadow of itself, making business activities to suffered losses.
As at the time of filling this report, residents were seeing sitting in groups lamenting the negative effects of the postponement on their economic activities.
A business centre operator, Charity Paul who spoke to our correspondent in Kaduna said business activities had been a low key, noting that her losses are enormous.
Speaking on her readiness to vote, she says: ” despite the postponement, I am not demoralized to cast my vote for the candidates of my choice come February 23, and March 9, 2019″.
Roads were deserted as vehicular movements were minimal, forcing the few residents who came out to trek long distance, especially those who had earlier travelled to cast vote in their respective polling centres.
A stranded commuter, who those not want her name appears on print said the decision was wicked.
” I left my house for my polling unit as early as 5:45 this morning in order to exercise my constitutional right but getting to the pooling unit I was told by somebody during our engagement on how the election may look like. The decision to shift the election could be best described as wickedness”, he said.
Frowning at the development, the National Secretary of Action Party of Nigeria, APN, Shuibu Salisu Dawaki said the postponement was a national embarrassement and a technical way of rigging the elections.
He stressed that the postponement was not INEC decision but a plan to esorse the financial budgets of the opposition.
In his opinion, a legal practitioner, Wahab Page noted that the postponement is a manifestation of incompetency on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“This is the same INEC that assured Nigerians couple of days ago that the commission is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible elections. The commission owes Nigerians an apology”, he emphasized.
In a contrary view, a veteran Journalist, Tajudeen Tijanni Ajibade said the postponement could be in the interest of Nigerians, saying that the commission has constitutional to shift to ensure that the exercise is free, fair and credible.
However, despite the postponement, the residents were still much ready to cast their votes on the scheduled day.
” Despite the postponement, I am much ready to vote as scheduled”, Ahmed Salisu said.
