President Jonathan and Senate President, Chief David Mark;

By Jide Ajani, Deputy Editor
A possible postponement of the January 2011 elections was top of the agenda when President Goodluck Jonathan met the leadership of the National Assembly on Wednesday night in Abuja, Sunday Vanguard can now reveal.

In attendance at the meeting were Senate President, Chief David Mark; his deputy, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu; Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole; his deputy, Alhaji Nafada; Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, Senate opposition leader, Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora and the Attorney General of the Federation / Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

It was gathered that President Jonathan sought the assistance of the legislators in amending the Constitution to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, compile “an authentic voter register”.

The National and State Assemblies have jut effected the first amendment to the Constitution.  The legislators, however, saved the day when they told the President that a fresh amendment to the Constitution days after the last one was not feasible.

It was gathered that they then brought up the idea of INEC going public with a request for the amendment of the Electoral Act for the purpose of compiling a new voter register.

This, sources said, was partly responsible for Thursday’s press conference by the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega where he announced that the commission would require between N55 billion and N72 billion to compile the voter register.

INEC under pressure to adjust election time table

The INEC chairman has already come under immense pressure from some pro-Jonathan elements to put the elections forward. This is with a view to buying time for the President to reach out and consolidate.

The INEC chairman, Prof. Jega is also under pressure from his immediate constituency, the academia and the civil society groups, to conduct credible elections. Soon, after Wednesday meeting which dragged into the early hours of Thursday, communication was established between legislators at that meeting and some key political figures in the North, sensitizing them to the latest development.

To that request for a new voter register, Jega has come out to say INEC needs between N55b and N72b.

The next step is for President Jonathan to initiate a supplementary budget to cover that.

Indications from the Senate are that once Jonathan presents the budget, the legislators will give it express passage to enable  INEC commence registration and avoid any delay capable of forcing the postponement of elections.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the A-G, at the meeting, proposed that the amended Constitution could be suspended to take effect after May 29, 2011 and for the 120-150 days required for the display of the voter register be amended.

A source said it was clear the action was to extract a confirmation of an extension.