Weddings, NYSC ‘allawee’… 5 things INEC postponed aside Edo election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a roundabout of decisions and speculations, on Thursday decided to postpone the Edo state gubernatorial poll scheduled for Saturday.

The people of Edo were informed that the postponement is for their own security, but a majority of Nigerians, especially on social media are not impressed.

The innocent has been affected, monies have been lost, here are five things INEC postponement has affected:

WEDDINGS

Prior to the 2015 elections, many potential couples had looked forward to make history by tying their nuptial knot on Valentine’s day, until the general election was fixed for February 14. They had to shift their dream dates.

In Edo state, some potential couples had fixed their day for September 10, but had to shift the date for the poll. With the poll slated for September 28, the powers that be have succeeded in wasting September 10 – for nothing!

Invitations wasted, money down the drain.

THE HOTEL TEARS

Hotels in Edo state must have experienced a surge in sales over the week, as INEC officials, observers, and journalists were trooping in for the elections.

Many of these “conditional immigrants” may have paid for four or five nights at these hotels, depending on their plans for the poll.

The hotels in turn, must have received big bucks and be easing out of the nation’s recession – INEC just halted that honeymoon. The hotels have to refund? They must hate INEC now.

But the money has only been postponed – not totally taken away. That should be a silver lining, no?

NYSC SPECIAL ‘ALLAWEE’ POSTPONED

Over a thousand corps members participating in the election were patiently waiting for the Saturday election and the financial proceed, which they regard as “allawee before allawee”.

Considering the situation of the economy, many of these corps members, would have planned how to spend after the election. But with the postponement, this allowance has also been postponed.

Cheer up Otondos, it is allawee delayed, not allawee denied.

TAX PAYERS’ MILLIONS DOWN THE DRAIN

In a statement announcing the postponement, INEC said it had deployed 18,000 electoral staff for the election.

Some of them came from outside state; spent money on transport, hotels, feeding, and other logistics.

They may have to return to their states of residence, after spending millions of tax payers’ money on the postponed poll.

In a recession, tax payers’ money is being wasted! This is more than just a postponement.

PETTY TRADERS AND PERISHABLES

In times of elections like these, petty traders make a fortune by meeting the needs of many observers, journalists, and other electoral personnel who must have converged on their states.

In Benin, we can imagine many traders who would have invested in perishables to be sold at election venues and collation centres.

Restaurants, who must have bought vegetables in excess; fruit sellers who must have filled their shops; others who must have made flour dough for pastries. What becomes of their goods?

It hurts to know that these goods may waste and they may never get commensurate value for the perishable items.