Nigeria’s presidential and parliamentary elections have been postponed by a
week because of logistical problems, the electoral commission announced less
than six hours before the balloting was due to start.
“Following a careful review of the implementation of the logistics and
operational plans and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible
elections, the commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the
election as scheduled is no longer feasible,” Independent National Electoral
Commission Chairman Mahmood Yakubu told reporters early Saturday in Abuja, the
capital.
The announcement may heighten tensions in what has been a tight race between
incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, a 76-year-old former military ruler, and
his main challenger, businessman and ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, 72. Both
campaigns have accused each other of trying to rig the vote.
“This was a difficult decision for the commission to take but necessary for
the successful delivery of elections and the consolidation of our democracy,”
Yakubu said. He said INEC would hold a meeting with the parties at 2 p.m. and
refused to answer questions about the commission’s decision.
In 2015, presidential and state governorship elections scheduled for Feb. 14
and 28 were moved to March 28 and April 11.
Buhari went on to win that election to become the first opposition candidate
to take power through the ballot box.
Polling centers were initially meant to open Saturday at 8 a.m., with more
than 84 million registered voters across 36 states and the federal capital.
Buhari was already in his home town of Daura, in Katsina state, where he was
planning to vote, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had travelled to Lagos,
Osinbajo’s spokesman Laolu Akande said on Twitter. “This is truly
disappointing, but the march to the next level continues,” he said in reference
to their campaign slogan.
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