Nigeria: Insurgency: There is no need to postpone 2015 elections – Tambuwal

Despite the increased spate of insurgents’ activities in the country, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has said there is no need to consider a postponement of the 2015 general elections.

Tambuwal said if countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Irag could conduct elections, nothing stopped the country from doing the same.

He said all the country needs to do was to step up security in the affected areas before the elections.

The speaker spoke in Kaduna on Sunday shortly after his screening for the Sokoto State governorship election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to the Speaker, there was no reason whatsoever for anybody to cancel the forthcoming elections, adding that those charged with the responsibility of protecting lives and property of Nigerians should be up and doing, asking Nigerians to pray that the insurgency did not extend beyond February 2015.

“What we should hope and pray for is that before February elections, the insurgency challenges should be addressed by the government.

“There are people whose responsibility it is either as number one citizen in the country or Chief of Army of Staff or the National Security Adviser or those charged with the responsibility of guaranteeing safety and security of the citizens as established by the constitution.

“They should do their work and ensure that we are all secured and safe. And then, let us hope and pray that by February, we should be able to come out en masse to cast our votes.

“We should pray that the insecurity should not go beyond February. What we should do is that we should be positive.

“The government should work hard towards addressing the insecurity challenges. I am opposed to the postponement of the elections. Elections are being held in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and several countries where there are security challenges.

“What we should do is to address and make up our minds on the fact that there should be elections come February, 2015,” he said.

Also commenting on his governorship ambition in Sokoto State, Tambuwal said his decision to run for the governorship was in response to the clarion calls by the people of the state to offer himself to serve in the capacity of the governor of the state.

Exuding confidence about his chances at elections, Tambuwal said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not only dead in Sokoto State and the North-west, but in the entire country.

“You are misinforming the public on the current political barometre of the PDP. Which PDP are you talking about?”, the Speaker asked rhetorically.