By Tony Edike

ENUGU — PRELATE of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, yesterday, expressed support for the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to seek extension of the forthcoming compilation of voters register and the 2011 election, saying if that would guarantee a credible election in the country, the request should be granted without delay.

Speaking in Enugu during the 2010 Pre-Pilgrimage Retreat organized by the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, Most Rev. Okoh also described as a good omen the number of Nigerians venturing into the 2011 presidential race, but advised Nigerians to ensure that only a leader that could move the nation forward was given the mandate to lead the nation in the coming election.

His words: “I think INEC should have done more homework before releasing the time-table because it is not quite long that the time-table was released and now they are seeking extension.

Many people feel that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Jega, ought to have taken his time to do enough consultation before releasing the time-table. What he has done now has the expression of a kind of inexperience. As long as it will not affect the handover date of May 29, if the authorities of the land feel that it will not compromise anything, they should grant it so that we can have a smooth election.

“If INEC wants the extension of time so that we can have a smooth election, there is nothing wrong with that because I wouldn’t like a situation where INEC will begin to cry about logistics, no ballot boxes, no papers, no vehicles, no this and that.

The money that had been released to them is so big that Nigerians will like to know what this money had been applied to. If time will be an excuse in the end, let them grant them more time if it will not affect handover time.”