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Nigeriaâs National Assembly to Extend Election Timetable

   Peter Clottey 26 October 2010
   Voters  queue  to  cast their vote during the governorship election at
   Ekulobia district in Anambra State, Nigeria, 06 Feb 2010

Photo: AFP

   Voters  queue  to  cast their vote during the governorship election at
   Ekulobia district in Anambra State, Nigeria, 06 Feb 2010

   An  official  of Nigeriaâs Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has
   expressed   confidence   that  the  countryâs  legislative  body  will
   Wednesday  approve the commissionâs proposed new date of April for the
   general elections.

   Nick  Dazan,  INECâs  assistant  director  of  public  affairs said if
   approved  the  new date will allow the electoral body to be adequately
   prepared to organize a credible election next year.

   âWe  expect the House of Assembly to have a third and final reading of
   the  bill  extending  time  for  the  (electoral)  commission  to hold
   elections in April next year as it requested a few weeks ago.â

   Last  month,  the  joint  National  Assembly Committee on Constitution
   Review  approved  the electoral commissionâs request for a three-month
   extension of the 2011 election timetable.

   Nigeriaâs  House of Assembly is expected to approve the bill that will
   extend  the  date  of the elections which was originally scheduled for
   January next near.

   Dazan  said  Nigerians are expecting an extension of the election time
   table to ensure a credible vote next year.

   âJust  yesterday,  they  held  a  public  hearing and they assured all
   Nigerians  and  members  of  the  international  community who were in
   attendance  that  todayâs  reading  of  the bill will be the final one
   after  which the law will be subjected by the approval by the speakers
   of the 36 states of the federation,â Dazan said.

   He further said that once the law is gazetted the electoral commission
   âwill  now  operate  from  a  strong  position  of  law to conduct the
   elections as extended by the national assembly.â

   INEC officials said the electoral commission has begun civic education
   campaigns ahead of the general elections.

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