Nigeria Postponing Feb. 14 Vote Amid Boko Haram Violence
DAKAR, Senegal — Feb 7, 2015, 5:17 AM ET
By MICHELLE FAUL Associated Press
Associated Press
Nigeria's electoral commission will postpone Feb. 14 presidential and legislative elections for six weeks to give a new multinational force time to secure northeastern areas under the sway of Boko Haram, an official close to the commission told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Millions could be disenfranchised if the voting went ahead while the Islamic extremists hold a large swath of the northeast and commit mayhem that has driven 1.5 million people from their homes.

A major offensive with warplanes and ground troops from Chad and Nigeria already has forced the insurgents from a dozen towns and villages in the past 10 days. Even greater military strikes by more countries are planned.

The official who is knowledgeable of the discussions said the Independent National Electoral Commission will announce the postponement at a news conference later Saturday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Officials in President Goodluck Jonathan's administration had been calling for a postponement, which is opposed by an opposition coalition fielding his chief rival, former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari.

Supporters of both sides are threatening violence if their candidate does not win. Some 800 people were killed in riots in the mainly Muslim north after Buhari, a Muslim, lost 2011 elections to Jonathan, a Christian from the south.

A postponement also will give electoral officials more time to deliver some 30 million voter cards. The commission had said the non-delivery of cards to nearly half of the 68.8 million registered voters was not a good reason to delay the vote.

waternogeteneny:
Buhari is synonymous to loss of life and property. The soaking of baboon and dogs in blood did not start in 2011.


No Buhari has a long history of soaking baboon and dogs in blood.


The world is just waiting to see if Nigerians are daft and silly to bring a bloody pensioner out of retirement to rule their nearly 200 million population


because no one is capable from their teeming youth population.

Demdem:
Excellent development. I hope the drunkard in aso rock has been served.
The police should be awake to their responsibilities.

waternogeteneny:
There is this false sense of aggrieved that the North purport.


How can a region that have produced almost ten President claim to be aggrieved? How can Buhari and ex-President claim to be aggrieved?


Is the President meant for them alone?


U even get the Emir of Kano talking about the President being hijacked. Wat does that mean?


Was GEJ not elected in 2011?

obamartins:
Gbam! You have said it all. They need Gas to power the turbines,They need money oil money to pay civil servants, share allocation to states, pay the military personnels and even procure equipments for the military, when the oil stops, Nigeria will crumble. Nobody in his right frame of mind should underestimate the Ijaws when they say they will cripple the economy. A word is enough for the wise, it is not about ranting on social Media, many people will be thrown out of work, The FG will have no choice than to downside Federal Civil Servants, the state will have no option than to down size State civil servants. We all know that apart from Lagos, there is no state that can survive effectively with their IGRs, so when people are planning to stampede GEJ out of office, remember there will be consequences. GEJ is light years ahead of Obj, but the Gang up against him is because he is from a minority tribe. There will be consequences.

waternogetemeny:
[size=18pt]Our message is clear, Nigeria says no to Born to Rule. Nigeria says no to Government being a Northern Industry that they plague the country will chronic violence becos power shifted for a tenure.


Nigeria says no to the imposing of a sick Buhari on Nigerians for the second time round by Tinubu and OBJ Southwest.We have had Yaradua, Murtala and Abacha die in office, say no to Buhari state funeral.


Nigeria says no corruption and yes corruption has decreased significantly under GEJ government as noted by Transperancy International(Global Institution) for the first time in Nigeria History.


GEJ must complete his tenure and tan agenda for all Nigeria and leave Office in 2019[/size]