Candidates vying for various political positions in the 2019 general elections said they remain upbeat in spite of the sudden postponement of the polls by a week.
The candidates who spoke in separate interview with the however regretted the postponement.
They said the postponement have not only been a huge cost to them, but they also sympathise with some of their supporters who have had to travel long distance to exercise their franchise.
The candidates however noted that if the essence of the postponement was to organise a better and credible elections, the whole sacrifices would have been worth it.
While appealing for their supporters to remain calm, the some of the candidates expressed their desire to go back to the streets to canvass for votes.
A candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Ovia Federal Constituency, Mr Dennis Idahosa, said he was not only disturbed by the postponement, but embarrassed at the timing it was announced.
According to him, “We definitely were not expecting the news of this kind, not even at the time it was announced. It was a very wrong timing.
“Haven considers all that we have all put into this; time, fund, and all other efforts, it is certainly not a cheering news to us all.
“Haven said this, I sincerely do hope that this sudden postponement will led to a conduct of credible and acceptable poll.
“To my supporters, I appeal to them to remain hopeful as i, with their support, remain committed to the liberation of the Ovia Federal Constituency.”
On his part, the APC candidate for the Oredo Federal Constituency, Osaigbovo Iyoha, simply described the postponement as a football match that will certainly be played.
“While I appreciate the commitment and efforts that my supporters have put into this project, I will say that I am not bothered with the postponement.
“I say this because this postponement can only delay, but not deny the people of Oredo Federal Constituency the things that will come to through through my election as their representative,” he said.
Also reacting to the sudden postponement of the election, Senatorial Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for Edo South, Dr Ese Owie stated that the last minute decision of the Nation’s electoral umpire should be evaluated dispassionately.
He argued that the transparency, credibility and fairness of the electoral process should be paramount.
According to him, “The fact that electoral materials for over 10 states were not ready at about mid night of the 15th Feb. evidently necessitated a shift in date so as to avoid the pitfalls of staggered elections.”
Speaking further, he said that he believed that the will of the people would ultimately prevail and enjoined his supporters to remain calm and come out en masse to vote on the 23rd of Feb.
While lamenting the huge financial, human and economic costs of the postponement, the ADP candidate said he remained optimistic that he would emerge victorious in the rescheduled elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had in the early hour of Saturday, announced the postponement of the elections, citing logistics challenges as the reason for the shift.
