Nigerians have reacted angrily to the postponement of the country’s general elections by a week.
Millions of Nigerians were due to vote on Saturday when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decided to shift the entire process to February 23.
Local media reports that the decision was reached on Saturday morning after talks between INEC officials in Abuja.
The postponement means governorship and state assembly elections will take now place on March 9, instead of original March 2 date.
What many Nigerians were unhappy about was the announcement of the postponement just five hours before polls were due to open on Saturday.
Reason for the delay?
The INEC boss Professor Mahmood Yakubu told a news conference that “Proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible.”
The key reason according to him was the “determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections”.
Breaking News: The #NigeriaDecides2019 Elections now to hold on; 23rd February, 2019 for Presidential and National Assembly while the Governorship, State House of Assembly and the FCT Area Council Elections is to hold on 9th March, 2019. pic.twitter.com/6zhvBLQe2a
— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) February 16, 2019
Logistical challenges were however identified as the major reason for the delay according to the INEC.
Reactions from parties
All contending political parties for the polls have expressed anger at the delay.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have condemned the postponement.
Both parties have accused each other of being behind the delayed vote and attempting to manipulate the process.
Nigeria in 2015 also delayed it’s presidential election, shifting it from February 14 to March 28th.
Nigerians unhappy
On social media ordinary Nigerians had their say on the development.
So, basically Nigeria postponed the election when some people were already queuing in the dark to vote. That’s a new one. Seems only Nollywood & 419 scammers work in Naija #NigeriaDesides2019
— Charles Onyango-Obbo (@cobbo3) February 16, 2019
INEC had three solid years to prepare for this election but still postponed it few hours to the D-day.
Is Nigeria a country????
— Adebayo Bankole Akintunde (@AdeBanqie) February 16, 2019
In Nigeria, a rude awakening. On Election Day itself, in the middle of the night, gov calls off election. at 0245 am. Nigerians waking up early to go to polls find instead the incompetency of their governance. Back to bed, or activism? https://t.co/s3ZABFJaJl pic.twitter.com/IBghWzoJZn
— James Hall (@hallaboutafrica) February 16, 2019
A lot of people will wake up this morning to the disappointment of postponement of election. Nigeria being the poverty capital of the world, a lot of poor people who have traveled to vote will be disenfranchised with this late hour decision.
— Bamikole Banks Omisore (@MrBanksOmishore) February 16, 2019
What a damm shit in Nigeria, Why INEC postponed the election of Nigeria. There’s no any regards for all Nigerians. Can they tell us what exactly happen that cos the postponed the election we were all want to know.
— Melina Smith (@merilyn_lemm) February 16, 2019
INEC had 4 years to plan for this election. Why is Nigeria so dysfunctional?
— Dr. Dípò | The Career? (@OgbeniDipo) February 15, 2019
This is very disappointing @inecnigeria
International observers are in Nigeria, youth corpers assigned to you are sleeping on floor ,people travelled to vote, budget spent, Its been 4years in the making yet you waited till today.. election day to postpone it??♀️— Uche Jombo Rodriguez (@uchejombo) February 16, 2019
And you said that Nigeria is not a fucked up Country. Your president decided to postpone the election at 2:30am while everyone was asleep. TBVH, Nigeria isn’t moving to any #NextLevel ? Everyone is watching #NigeriaDecides2019 #ThisIsNigeria #2019Election
— Dr. PamPam | Omo Iya Ologi (@thepamilerin) February 16, 2019
Main contenders
Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari is facing a tough challenge in Atiku Abubakar from the opposition.
Buhari who took office on May 29, 2015 defeated the then sitting President Goodluck Jonathan. He contested for president in 2003, 2007 and 2011 but only became successful and 2015.
That was the first time in Nigeria’s history that an opposition candidate won at the ballot box against an incumbent head of state.
He won the election by promising to crush two epidemics plaguing the nation—endemic corruption and a war with Islamic extremist.
Buhari, 76, first took power in Nigeria in 1983 after a military coup. But his former ally, Atiku Abubakar the 72-year-old candidate is this time round leading the PDP into the election.
For the first eight of those years, Atiku was vice president to Nigeria’s new democratic leader and former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Atiku, like Buhari, is also a northern Muslim, born in Adamawa state.
Source: Africafeeds.com
