– Election delay –
The ongoing operations against Boko Haram were cited by Nigeria’s national security advisor Sambo Dasuki and military top brass as a reason to delay the country’s elections, which had been scheduled for February 14.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed in a new video posted Tuesday on Twitter: “This election will not be held even if we are dead.”
Shekau also claimed responsibility for a large-scale attack on the northeastern city of Gombe last Saturday where leaflets were dropped warning people not to vote.
Speaking in the upper chamber of parliament on Wednesday, Jega, who heads the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was adamant there would be no further change to the timetable.
“I don’t see how anyone can contemplate any extension beyond these six weeks because there is no constitutional grounds on which you can do that,” he said.
Jega announced the postponement of the vote on February 7 after being told that soldiers would not be available to provide security on polling day.
The decision was criticised, with many viewing the six-week delay to stabilise the northeast as unrealistic, especially with violence still raging.
Critics have accused the ruling party of orchestrating the delay to give it more time to revive President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign.
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