Nigeria: Voters in Jos disappointed with elections postponement

Nigerian voters have expressed disappointment at the postponement of the presidential election by the electoral body on Saturday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), early on Saturday shifted the elections until February 23 adding a scheduled proceeding of the vote was not “feasible.”

Across the country, many voters were unaware of the sudden postponement.

In Jos city , capital of Plateau state central Nigeria, people came out as early as 6 am to cast their ballots only to find out the election was not taking place as planned. “I don’t know that they canceled the election. I came out of my house with my PVC to go and vote. All of a sudden, and I heard that they cancel election,” A Resident.

“People traveled from here to different places, different states to go on and cast the votes, and just of a sudden, they wake up to tell us that the election has been postponed. It sucked,” Another Resident.

“And it is a great setback to our economy, imagine the whole day has been canceled, no transaction, nothing,” Another Resident.

NIGERIA ELECTIONS – Voters react angrily to last-minute delay to general elections in Nigeria https://t.co/JPoz9XaEuj

— Nicolay Abril (@NicolayAbril) February 16, 2019

INEC insisted the postponement is necessary to ensure a free and fair vote.

The west African country postponed presidential elections in 2011 and 2015 over logistics and security concerns.