Nigeria: Alex Ekwueme Canvassed Shift Presidential Poll
FORMER Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, yesterday canvassed a shift in date for the presidential election from April 21 to 28 on account of last week’s death of erstwhile Ondo State governor and presidential candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Adebayo Adefarati.
Ekwueme, immediate past chairman, Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a three-page statement he signed and dated March 31, said the new date will be in compliance with provisions of both the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2006.
The issue of postponement of presidential poll has been a subject of interest debate since the demise of Adefarati. The Federal government last week filed a suit in the Federal High Court, Abuja to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from postponing the election on the premise of Adefarati’s death.
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) also took similar step last Monday. However, AD leadership wrote INEC, calling for the postponement.
Ekwueme in his statement sent from London said “I therefore suggest that the 2007 presidential elections be held on Saturday 28 April, 2007 instead of Saturday 21 April 2007.”