Coalition of Concerned Nigerians protest plan to postpone elections

Coalition of Concerned Nigerians, a social-human rights group based in Jos on Saturday staged protest at INEC headquarters Abuja demanding that the elections be held as scheduled on Feb. 14 and 28.

The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions condemning plan to shift the polls.

Some of the inscriptions read: `No to election postponement,’ `INEC Commissioners: Nigerians are watching,’ `We have confidence on Jega to give us elections on February 14.’

A contingent of armed policemen formed a barricade round the protesters to prevent them from gaining entrance into INEC headquarter building.

Mr Solomon Dalung, the leader of the group, who claimed he is a human right activist, told newsmen that the elections should not be postponed.

“Why should INEC call for a meeting on Saturday? How long will our children’s schooling be postponed because of elections,’’ he said.

Dalung said that postponing the polls would not be to the detriment of top politicians “whose children school outside the country.”

(NAN)