Can the Elections Be Postponed?

Can the elections be postponed?

Written by The Republic

Jan 19, 2023

ONYINYE DIKE

Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) raised concerns about insecurity in the country, claiming that if the situation remained unchecked it could affect the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

The Commission’s chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, represented by the chairman of the Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, said:

’if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate (a) constitutional crisis.’

Elections are integral to democratic governance as it allows the voting class to freely and fairly select leaders and hold them accountable for their performance in office. However, there are instances where elections can be moved, such as in emergencies or for humanitarian reasons. In Chad, elections have been postponed five times since 2015 over a lack of funds and military action against Boko Haram. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic also saw countries like Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic and Haiti shift their election dates.

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Can the Elections Be Postponed?