In a twist of events, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone all elections except the presidential elections.
The AGF wants the national assembly, governorship and State houses of assembly elections postponed following the decision of the Appeal Court that all parties return to status quo in the Zamfara State All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries crisis.
The AGF’s directive came via a letter he addressed to the INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mamood dated 13 February which he claimed was predicated on a petition written by a firm of attorneys, M.A. Mamood SAN and Co.
Abubakar Malami cited Sections 38 and 39 of Electoral (Amendment) Act 2010 saying the postponement will enable the Zamfara APC to field candidates for all the positions.
If INEC honours this directive, it will mean that only the presidential election will take place as slated on Saturday 16 February.
This development is likely to put the political system in turmoil just hours after a critical 2nd Peace Accord was signed by the main political gladiators at Abuja, midwifed by the Nigerian Peace Committee headed by Ex-Head of State, Abdulsalem Abubakar.
The opposition, which had continued to say it hold the government in suspect on its sincerity to ensure credible elections may see the latest move as an attempt to isolate the presidential election and ensure that all political mileage and capital at the behest of the ruling All Progressives Party are exclusively deployed for the presidential election to ensure President Buhari’s re-election.
See the letter below from the office of the AGF↓
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