Nigeria: presidential election postponed for a week

Nigeria: presidential election postponed for a week
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By Louise Miner with Reuters
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The electoral commission made the decision to delay the election vote just 5 hours before the scheduled opening of the polls.

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Nigerians travelled long distances on Saturday morning with the intention of casting their vote in the presidential elections. 

But now the poll has been postponed for a week.

A local resident said he’s disappointed: "I'm feeling very bad because I came this morning for election. I heard that the election was postponed. I'm feeling bad."

The electoral commission made the decision just five hours before the scheduled opening of the polls.

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said: "This was a difficult decision for the commission to take but necessary for the successful delivery of elections and the consolidation of our democracy."

He added the delay was to make sure the election was free and fair. It's reported the problem is over logistics affecting some areas, where the electoral material hasn't arrived on time.

The same thing happened at the country's presidential elections in 2011 and 2015, over logistics and security issues. Past elections have been marred by violence, voter intimidation and ballot rigging.

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