The decision was announced to journalists on Thursday night, about eight hours after the commission had insisted that the election would hold as earlier scheduled
for Saturday, September 10, despite warnings from security agencies.
The factional leadership of the opposition PDP, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has reiterated its earlier position that the Saturday, September 10, election date should remain, speaking through thier spokesperson Mr. Dayo Adeyeye in Abuja on Thursday, said the postponement of the election was illegal and a coup against Nigerians.
The police beefed up security around the commission’s headquarters in Benin with riot policemen frisking visitors.
INEC’s decision to postpone the election followed a security report written to the commission by the IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the DG of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura.
The National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Solomon Soyebi, who broke the news to journalists in Benin, however, refused to take questions.
Reading a text, Soyebi who was with the Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Sam Olumekun, said the commission had successfully implemented 12 of the 14 activities on the Election Timeline.
The National Commissioner added, “The commission has deployed over 18,000 electoral staff, secured and deployed all materials required for the election and mobilised over 1.9 million voters to exercise their civic responsibilities.
“However, at about 6pm today (Thursday), the commission received official communication from the Police and the DSS, drawing its (INEC) attention to the need to postpone the Edo Governorship Elections.
“Such a postponement, the communication indicates, is necessary in view of threats of terrorist activities in Edo and other states of the federation during the election and over the Sallah period.”
the Elections has now been scheduled to hold on the 28th September, 2016.
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