The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega has given reasons for the choice of dates for the 2015 general elections.
Jega, who denied that he was under pressure from any quarters, said the time table was informed by rational and logical considerations.
He also explained that the decision was not sentimental or had ulterior motives.
INEC had slated National Assembly and Presidential elections for February 14, 2015, and Governorship as well as State Assembly elections for February 28, 2015.
This, he said, was based on the commission’s understanding of its own operational effectiveness and global best practices in grouping national elections together on one day, while state elections are held on another day.
Jega, according to a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, made the clarification at a Forum where he presented a paper titled “2015 Elections in Nigeria: Expectations and Challenges”, organized by Africa Programme Unit.
The INEC boss said, “Nobody has put us under any pressure. We did these things logically and rationally, in terms of what we considered best for our country. As far as we are concerned, the presidential election is not positioned first. What we did is that we combined the national elections, so you can’t say that presidential election is placed first”.
The statement also quoted Jega as disagreeing with suggestions that the elections were drastically reordered when compared to the last general elections in 2011.
