Breaking News: Confusion as 21 INEC REC's Reject Poll shift, 17 Political parties support poll shift as Jega briefs 25 Civil Society Groups on why poll must shift

INEC leadership led by Prof Attahiru Jega has had three meetings today over the shift of the 2015 General election reports www.odgwublog.com .

INEC confirms www.odogwublog.com report on postponement of 2015 elections for at least 6 weeks to enable the security operatives engage the Boko Haram insurgents in a final battle at the North East to save Nigerian territorial integrity.

INEC reached the decision to postpone the 2015 General Elections at a stakeholders meeting held today, February 7, The Associated Press reports.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, held a meeting with 25 civil society groups in Abuja today informing them on why the election has to be shifted.

Jega said that all security agencies in the country have indicated to him, in writing,  that they are not available to support the elections planned for February 14 and 28.

Mr. Jega, who had an earlier meeting with political parties, is rounding up another meeting with his 36 resident electoral commissioners as at press time on what will amount to an INEC position on whether to postpone or go ahead with the elections.

Jibrin Ibrahim, a leading African election expert and senior fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, in Abuja, who was at the meeting, said Mr. Jega told the meeting that security operatives from all the agencies told INEC that they were commencing a six weeks special operations against Boko Haram insurgents in the north eastern corridors of the country and would rather not be distracted by the elections.

Mr. Jega announced that the security forces also said the operations are due to commence on February 14, the date INEC had planned for the presidential and federal legislative elections.

This decision, by the security forces, successfully renders INEC’s hitherto insistence to go ahead with the elections a risky venture.

To even collect ballot papers from their storage in the Central Bank of Nigeria for the elections will require security escort, which apparently is now unavailable in the light of the move by the security forces.

Twenty one Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have rejected a proposal to postpone Nigeria’s general elections billed for February 14 and 28.
In a vote conducted today by the INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, after he met with political parties and the civil society, 21 RECs said the elections should continue as planned while 16 others voted in support of a reschedule.

Nigeria has 37 RECs, each for a state and the Federal Capital, Abuja.
The outcome of the vote came as Nigerians await INEC’s decision on whether the elections are moved or not.
The 17 political parties out of the total 28 voted in support of an extension.
The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, has rejected any plan to postpone the election saying such calls are sponsored by President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling party to stave their imminent defeat at the polls.
An official close to the commission told The Associated Press that INEC had decided to postpone the election for six weeks due to the threat posed by Boko Haram.
The source added that the poll shift would allow extra time for a newly constituted multinational force to secure the North-East which is currently being plagued by Boko Haram attacks.
It would also enable the commission continue distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) to citizens to prevent mass disenfranchisement.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was to address a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja today by to make an official announcement before.
Lawmakers who attended the meeting at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the talks about postponement came after a recommendation from national security advisor Sambo Dasuki.
PDM party chairman Bashir Yusuf said Dasuki had told INEC that operations against Boko Haram militants meant the military “will be unable to provide adequate security” for the February 14 vote.
“On the basis of that the national security advisor has requested INEC to consider rescheduling the elections for at least a period of six weeks,” the opposition lawmaker added.
INEC chairman Attahiru Jega has been under mounting pressure to delay polling because of increased fears about the distribution of permanent voter cards to 68.8 million registered electors.
But he has repeatedly ruled out a date change, even after the issue was raised this week at a meeting of the powerful council of states, comprising the current and former presidents.
The electoral body has scheduled a news conference for later on Saturday.
The national secretary of President Goodluck Jonathan’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wale Oladipo, said they would “abide by any decision taken by INEC”.
But Yusuf said that some parties present at the meeting, including the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), were against any delay.
President Goodluck Jonathan, battered by criticism over his handling of the Boko Haram crisis, corruption and the economy, is seeking a second four-year term of office.
But seven days out, the result is seen as too close to call, even if the APC’s Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, has predicted he will secure a “landslide victory”.
Dawn Dimowo, from the africapractice consulting firm, said on Friday that any delay “could lead to enhanced stability” and allow logistical problems with voting to be resolved.
But it could also prompt a violent reaction from angered opposition supporters, who are hoping to inflict a defeat on the PDP for the first time in 16 years.
In 2011, some 1,000 people were killed in post-poll rioting. This year Boko Haram’s control of territory in three northeastern states has made voting impossible for hundreds of thousands of people.
Since the turn of the year, the militant group has increased the intensity of its campaign, in part to further undermine the democratic process, which it views as un-Islamic.
The APC has already said the overall result will be in doubt if displaced people in its northeastern stronghold are disenfranchised.
Commentators have also raised the prospect of a legal challenge from either side after the result and even a run-off, which would also likely inflame tensions.
Ryan Cummings, chief Africa analyst at Red24 risk consultants, said it would be surprising if the six-year Boko Haram insurgency was used as a reason for postponement rather than voter card problems.
He said it was “extremely optimistic” to suggest that the military coalition of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon would make significant gains against the militants before the end of March.
“To date, Boko Haram is claimed to control (partially or fully) 20 out of the 27 local government areas in Borno State, and two each in Yobe and Adawama,” he said in an email exchange.
“As far as I know, Gamboru has been the only major town to be secured by Nigeria and its international partners since the launch of multi-national counterinsurgency operations.
“To dislodge Boko Haram from all of these areas in a period of six weeks would be an unprecedented feat.
“But even if achieved, securing liberated territories would be a task in its own, particularly if multinational forces withdraw their presence from Nigeria.”
The election, scheduled to be held simultaneously with polling for a new national assembly, involves 14 presidential hopefuls, although Jonathan and Buhari are the only realistic contenders.