THISDAYonline

Ekiti State gubernatorial candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Chief Femi Falana, has warned of dire consequences should the forthcoming general elections be postponed. He emphasised that " no court in Nigeria will grant an injunction to stall the elections".

Falana, who spoke on Tuesday, in Lagos during a visit to the corporate headquarters of THISDAY, dismissed recent calls by some political parties, members of the Clergy and politicians for the postponement of the forthcoming April polls, stressing that the international community will regard Nigeria as unserious with its democratic transition.

" I don't subscribe to the suggestion that the elections should be postponed. The new parties though have a point, but it is unfathomable to postpone elections just because the parties are ill prepared for the contest. They have a choice to field presidentrial candidates or not. If they can't do it now they should wait for another time" he stressed.

Falana emphasised that the present call for the postponement of the elections and the accompanying proposal for an Interim National Government (ING) would portray the country in bad light and unserious with it's resolve to entrench democracy.

On the 60 days allowed by the constitution for the dispaly of the voters register before any general elections can be conducted, Falana opined that " the provision by the constitution is strictly procedural, but in law there is the doctrine of necessity which should apply in this case".

Falana listed such conditions stipulated by the constitution under which general elections can be called-off to include, natural disasters and national emergencies, adding that "in terms of the display of voters registers as provided for in the constitution, that aspect of the provision has been complied with already".

On the recent repeal of the law establishing the Independent Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) by the National Assembly, Falana described the development as not only a mockery of the rule of law, but also an international embarassment on the much vaunted attempt by the present administration to eradicate corruption from the polity.