The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) have rejected the 2015 election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to them, for a credible outcome of the exercise, INEC should conduct all elections on the same day.
INEC had on Friday released the timetable for the general election. The presidential and National Assembly elections were fixed for February 14, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls will hold February 28.
Giving their reasons for rejecting the schedule, the groups expressed worry that the electoral umpire put first the presidential election, despite several warnings against such arrangement.
ACF in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Anthony Sani said “We are uncomfortable with the sequence of the election. We prefer all elections to hold the same day in order to reduce cost and avoid bandwagon effect.
“But INEC has said there is no enabling law by the National Assembly that will make it possible for the elections to hold the same day; and we have also called on the legislature to make that possible.
“ACF prefers electoral disputes in courts to be disposed of before inauguration, but now INEC timetable is too close to inauguration. As a result, inaugurated winners will still use government resources to fight electoral disputes in tribunals and courts. That will be most unfair to the alleged losers in the elections and Nigerians,” the statement said.