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Fomer Head of State, Maj-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (retd.) | credits: file photo

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), speaks to Al Jazeera about the election postponement and other issues. The interview was monitored by ENIOLA AKINKUOTU

What is your reaction to the postponement of the elections by six weeks?

My reaction is that of extreme disappointment because at the meeting of the National Council of State, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, gave a detailed briefing of their activities from 2011 when the last general elections were held to now and he stated clearly that they are ready to hold the elections.

You have described the postponement as provocative. What do you mean?

I described it as such because there is no need for it. If the same military cannot secure 14 local governments out of 774 in six years, how can we be sure that they can secure those 14 local governments in six weeks?

What effect will this postponement have on your campaign? Can you afford an extra six weeks?

We have to afford it because the appropriate constitutional authority says that up to 30 days to the elections, the dates can be adjusted so that gives whatever plausible credibility that INEC needs. So, we are going to appeal to our supporters to give INEC a chance and allow it to reach the maximum number of days by the constitution that elections must hold not later than 30 days to the inauguration of a new government. So, there is no more room for manoeuvre as far as we are concerned.

You seem sceptical as to the reasons given by INEC for the delay. What do you think is the real reason for the postponement?

Since the constitutional provision has been met, we cannot fight with it but I hope the military, INEC and the ruling party will accept that this is the limit. We do not expect INEC to say itcannot conduct the election after six weeks. In any case, the documents provided during the briefing at the council of state were that they were ready to conduct the elections. But if they are now forced by the military for whatever reason to consider an additional six weeks before the elections start, that has also been accommodated by the constitution as explained and we are going to abide by that and we will ask our supporters to remain calm and be prepared to participate in the elections on March 28, and April 11 respectively.

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