Nigerian poll delayed again in some zones

Nigeria’s electoral agency has announced a third delay in legislative polls in some parts of the country.

|||

Abuja - Nigeria's electoral agency on Thursday announced a third delay in legislative polls in some parts of the country after it failed to sort out logistical problems in time for the weekend vote.

The independent electoral commission chief Attahiru Jega told reporters that “the postponed elections affect only about 14 percent of all senatorial districts and 13 percent of federal constituencies”.

The National Assembly election, now set for Saturday, has already been postponed twice due to widespread organisational problems.

Jega pulled the plug on the election last Saturday, after voting had started in some parts of the country.

The second delay also pushed back presidential and state polls that are due to follow.

Legislative balloting affected by the third delay will now be held on April 26 alongside polls for state governor and assemblies.

Jega said the latest delay arose because the commission was unable to have replacement ballot papers for those areas where voting had started last Saturday before he declared a postponement.

“It is not possible to print enough replacement ballot papers before the Saturday election,” said Jega, adding in some cases party names and logos were missing from ballot papers.

He said while his agency had taken “strenuous” steps to get the ballots printed on time, security requirements for the production of the papers and the inability of either local and foreign firms to deliver before Saturday, forced the delay.

“Consequently, while elections will in general take place next Saturday, it has become inevitable to postpone elections in a few affected constituencies - that is 15 senatorial districts and 48 federal constituencies.”

Nigeria has 109 senators and 360 house of representative members.

This month's landmark polls are being viewed as a critical test of whether Africa's largest oil producer, also the continent's most populous nation, can organise a credible ballot after a history of election fraud and violence.

“What happened was unfortunate but it has happened.... It is better to have a postponed election than to have a terribly flawed election,” he said.

Tremendous hope has been placed in the recently appointed Jega, a respected academic, who is under immense pressure to deliver improved polls in one of the world's most corrupt countries.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who pre-election polls give a clean lead, appealed to voters not to be discouraged by the delays and urged them to return to the polling stations in their numbers for the rescheduled vote.

“Whether I am a candidate or not, I must conduct an election that would meet global minimum standards of transparency and fairness,” said Jonathan.

He said his country, a regional powerhouse, could not afford to fail in this election.

“Several countries in Africa have had successful elections, and if we don’t get it right, we can’t lead anybody or call anybody to order when they miss the mark,” he told a team of observers from the Washington-based National Democratic Institute (NDI).

Nigeria has taken a leading role in resolving crises in some West African, countries, including regional efforts to end the bloody post-election crisis in Ivory Coast. - Sapa-AFP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/nigerian-poll-delayed-again-in-some-zones-1.1053893

The FA Electronic music Dolomites Motoring Craig Bellamy Russia