INEC Election Ballot Box

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Residents of Oyo State have expressed shock and disappointment over the postponement of Presidential and National Assembly Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, describing the development as devastating and monumental.

The residents wondered why INEC had to wait till about five hours to the commencement of the elections before taking the decision to postpone the elections arguing that it was unthinkable that at this age, Nigeria, the most populous African nation could organize hitch free election.

Some of the residents claimed that the postponement of the election has led to incalculable losses.

Reacting, Professor Babatunde Adegoke of the University of Ibadan, UI, Dr Tunde Oseni of Lead City University, LCU, and a veteran Journalist and Public Analyst, Mr Tunde Olaniyan opined that it would have been more honourable to have declared the postponement earlier.

Olaniyan added, “So many things have gone into the elections. A lot of Nigerians have relocated from various places to parts of the country to enable them cast their votes. What will now happen? Will they wait for another week and abandon their jobs? If they wait, what will they be doing? Definitely, people will incur extra cost not planned for. Markets have been closed down and vehicular activities grounded. Nothing meaningful can be done today”.

However, as at the time of filing this report, economic and other activities are already picking up in the state as some shops are already opened for business while commercial vehicles are already plying the road.