INEC Extends PVC Collection to 8th March 2015

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has further extended the deadline for collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) until Sunday, March 8th, 2015.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Augusta Ogakwu in Abuja on Monday; The statement quoted Ogakwu as saying the four weeks extension of the deadline followed the rescheduling of the 2015 presidential elections.

She stated that “the Commission expresses hope that the extension will finally avail every registered voter, yet to collect his/her PVC, the opportunity to do so in readiness for the general elections.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that INEC had on February 1st extended the deadline for collection of PVCs to February 8th, 2015 following the earlier deadline of January 31, 2015.

INEC had also on Saturday, February 7th, rescheduled the 2015 general elections by six weeks citing security concerns.

The Commission rescheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections from February 14th to March 28th,

UNITED STATES 'DEEPLY DISAPOINTED' BY NIGERIA ELECTION DELAY

US diplomat, John Kerry, said on Saturday that he was “deeply disappointed” by Nigeria’s decision to postpone elections and issued a call for calm.

The six-week delay was announced after security chiefs said the military needed more time to secure areas under the control of Boko Haram, the Islamist extremists who have seized swathes of territory in northeastern part of the Country.

“United States of America is deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14,” Kerry said in a statement.

“Politically interfering with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process,” he stressed.

Kerry said the international community “will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.”

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.

“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence,”.

The insurgency has killed at least 13,000 people and pushed more than a million from their homes since 2009.

Confirmed! February 14 elections postponed by 6 weeks

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has concluded a briefing meeting with 25 civil society groups in Abuja Saturday informing them 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.
Prof. Jega, announced this postponement at a press briefing the meeting that lasted almost a whole day.
Jega stated many reasons that lead to the extension of the scheduled time for the Presidential and governorship election but basically it all surrounds the security matters; The new date is the 28th of March 2015 for the Presidential while 11th April 2015 for the Governorship election.
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.
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.

Fashanu Regrets Not Playing for Eagles

Former Wimbledon striker, John Fashanu, has said that he never played for the Green Eagles because his style of play was considered not good enough by the team’s former handler, Otto Gloria.

Fashanu told Goal.com that one of his regrets in football was not playing for the Nigeria senior national team during his professional career. 

He said that not playing for Nigeria was never his own making as several people have mischievously tried so hard to present it to the public, but that he made every attempt to feature for the then Green Eagles as the team was known.

Fashanu maintained that he came home on three occasions but stressed that he was told by the technical adviser that he was not comfortable with his British method of playing football and so never used him on those occasions.

The former Wimbledon FC striker noted that it was as a result of the way he was treated then that prompted his staying away eventually where he eventually made just two appearances for the England national side.

"The fact is that I really wanted to play for Nigeria and I came home on three occasions but the coach said I was not good enough to make his team, and so never selected me except for one friendly match against China where I was an unused substitute,” Fashanu told Goal.com.

“So, it was never my fault at all and it pained me so much that I never played for my country," he lamented.
Fashanu who has since returned to the country and settled down successfully to business while trying to contribute his quota to ensure that Nigeria’s sport flourishes.

The former striker has acquired 10 hectares of land at the Apo district of Abuja where he has developed an all sports academy, called Goodluck Jonathan/Fashanu Academy.

He expects that the academy would attract some of the best sporting personnel from around the world.