Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Video - Media outlets seek to retain objectivity after polls postponement in Nigeria
It's been a hectic week for Nigeria's media. Carefully laid out plans to cover elections in Africa's largest democracy were scuttled at the eleventh hour after polls were postponed by a week. And while some of the coverage has come into sharp focus for its objectivity or lack of it, the media has made huge strides in recent years.
Video - Businesses suffer as voters stay in rural homes for Saturday polls in Nigeria
Still in Nigeria...Businesses in major cities are making steep loses, as most Nigerians retreat to rural areas to vote in the Saturday election. Most businesses closed shop over the weekend. But the few that opened struggled to get customers.
Video - Female candidates seek victory in the re-scheduled elections in Nigeria
In Nigeria, dozens of first-time female candidates are seeking victory in the re-scheduled election. The women have gone as far as creating a Whatsapp group where they are urging and encouraging each other to stay focused. The country's percentage of women in parliament is one of the lowest in the world. But this group of female politicians are eager to prove that they can make equally good leaders.
Citizens of Nigeria lament election delay and the costs
Okiti Erhovwo, a physiologist and relationship coach, planned his wedding for March 9 after considering the scheduled dates of the general elections.
The presidential and legislative elections were to take place on February 16 and the state governorship on March 2.
But the postponement announced on Saturday of the governorship election to March 9 has forced him to cancel his marriage ceremony.
"It's disheartening, to say, the least that after making preparations and putting logistics in a place for our wedding ... elections have been postponed to the same wedding date. It's devastating. So sad," Erhovwo told Al Jazeera.
Besides dealing with the disappointment, he now has to make new arrangements to marry his fiance, Eminence Agbechoma, who took the announcement even harder.
"There's no one that would be excited at such sudden news. She felt sad, the family felt sad. But our hope is that God will do that which he, God, has set out to do and he that started this good work would surely complete it," Erhovwo said.
Economic impact
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of polls early Saturday following an emergency meeting in the capital, Abuja.
INEC said it needed more time to ensure a free and fair vote.
Many Nigerians who stayed up late to follow proceedings were angered by the decision.
Social media has become a platform to complain about the economic implications of the vote delay by a week.
Voters can only cast their ballots in places where they are registered by INEC, or they must seek a transfer to their preferred voting centres.
Some Nigerians travelled hundreds of kilometres to vote and the postponement - just a few hours prior to the opening of the polls - has left some stranded.
Despite the inconvenience, some Nigerians are willing to pay the travel costs again.
"For us, this election is very crucial and people want to demonstrate their faith in democracy by participating in deciding their future," businessman Pascal Metuh told Al Jazeera.
Some businesses and offices are still shut.
"This is a loss of business to the economy, which is not good news for economic performance," economist Aliyu Audu told Al Jazeera.
"The effects will be felt in the short term by businesses' loss of revenue until the economy picks up after the election," Audu said.
'Grave implications'
Some who had to reschedule their plans are also worried about extra costs incurred by the delay.
"It's certainly going to have a grave economic implication considering the fact that initial logistics that have been made took swell sums of money," lamented Erhovwo, the husband-to-be.
"And due to the sudden election postponement - which coincided with the wedding date - money has to be made available again for those logistics in preparation for a new date."
Nigerians are never quick to demand any form of compensation from the government when policy changes cause them financial losses.
This time is no different.
"I wouldn't consider any form of compensation from INEC because this thing is not just about money. A whole lot has been invested into the planning. Would they also compensate for the mental resources and time that went into the planning? Of course not," Erhovwo said.
The ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party have both criticised the delay.
By Fidelis Mbah
Al Jazeera
The presidential and legislative elections were to take place on February 16 and the state governorship on March 2.
But the postponement announced on Saturday of the governorship election to March 9 has forced him to cancel his marriage ceremony.
"It's disheartening, to say, the least that after making preparations and putting logistics in a place for our wedding ... elections have been postponed to the same wedding date. It's devastating. So sad," Erhovwo told Al Jazeera.
Besides dealing with the disappointment, he now has to make new arrangements to marry his fiance, Eminence Agbechoma, who took the announcement even harder.
"There's no one that would be excited at such sudden news. She felt sad, the family felt sad. But our hope is that God will do that which he, God, has set out to do and he that started this good work would surely complete it," Erhovwo said.
Economic impact
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of polls early Saturday following an emergency meeting in the capital, Abuja.
INEC said it needed more time to ensure a free and fair vote.
Many Nigerians who stayed up late to follow proceedings were angered by the decision.
Social media has become a platform to complain about the economic implications of the vote delay by a week.
Voters can only cast their ballots in places where they are registered by INEC, or they must seek a transfer to their preferred voting centres.
Some Nigerians travelled hundreds of kilometres to vote and the postponement - just a few hours prior to the opening of the polls - has left some stranded.
Despite the inconvenience, some Nigerians are willing to pay the travel costs again.
"For us, this election is very crucial and people want to demonstrate their faith in democracy by participating in deciding their future," businessman Pascal Metuh told Al Jazeera.
Some businesses and offices are still shut.
"This is a loss of business to the economy, which is not good news for economic performance," economist Aliyu Audu told Al Jazeera.
"The effects will be felt in the short term by businesses' loss of revenue until the economy picks up after the election," Audu said.
'Grave implications'
Some who had to reschedule their plans are also worried about extra costs incurred by the delay.
"It's certainly going to have a grave economic implication considering the fact that initial logistics that have been made took swell sums of money," lamented Erhovwo, the husband-to-be.
"And due to the sudden election postponement - which coincided with the wedding date - money has to be made available again for those logistics in preparation for a new date."
Nigerians are never quick to demand any form of compensation from the government when policy changes cause them financial losses.
This time is no different.
"I wouldn't consider any form of compensation from INEC because this thing is not just about money. A whole lot has been invested into the planning. Would they also compensate for the mental resources and time that went into the planning? Of course not," Erhovwo said.
The ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party have both criticised the delay.
By Fidelis Mbah
Al Jazeera
Technology makes it harder to rig elections in Nigeria
In 2007, Musa Yar’Adua was elected president of Nigeria in an election so flawed, one of his major actions as president was pushing for electoral reforms.
To his credit, due to progress made since, an election like that of 2007 (described as “a charade” by election observers) is unlikely today. And a major reason is INEC, Nigeria’s electoral commission, has embraced technology. While Nigeria’s elections are by no means fully electronic, the use of permanent voter cards (PVC) verified by electronic card readers to accredit voters has proven a major leap.
Under the current system, voters show up at polling units and have their PVC verified by card readers before being allowed to vote. The two-step authentication eliminates the dual problems of impersonation and multiple voting—previously rampant rigging tactics. It’s a major shift from the past when only paperwork (which could easily be faked) was enough to allow voters cast a ballot.
“The smart card readers and PVCs were a very important innovation that really enhanced the credibility of the elections,” says Richard Klein, senior adviser for elections at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). As Quartz Africa has reported, improvements in making elections more secure have forced politicians to rethink their campaign tactics to reach and convince voters directly.
INEC, which is going through its latest credibility test after delaying the presidential election by a week with a few hours to the polls opening on Feb. 16, has taken steps to protect its current set-up. This includes programming the card readers to work only at specific locations and during specific time frames on election day, which will now be Saturday Feb. 23.
To reduce the likelihood of a hack, the card readers are also programmed to only transmit data without receiving any during the polls. The commission has also proven proactive in solving any card reader-related problems. Eyitemi Egbejule, a cyber-security consultant, who worked on card reader tests as a third party consultant before they debuted in the 2015 election says INEC fixed all identified security issues before the elections. The commission has since upgraded the system ahead of this year’s elections.
Lingering problems
Despite major progress, INEC’s processes remain far from perfect. The commission’s technology could ultimately be undermined by its people if electoral officials abandon the card readers on election day as a result of intimidation by party agents or in a bid to speed up voting, Klein says. It’s a red flag that election observers will keenly watch out for.
The process of collation of results, still done manually, is also a weakness along the value chain and is susceptible to manipulation, Klein adds. There are also transparency concerns under INEC’s current system as it has not yet announced the total number of collected PVCs, despite calls from civic society groups to do so.
Political parties and actors in Nigeria are still trying to game the system too: vote buying tactics—offering money or food as inducements for votes on election day—have become more brazen. One Lagos taxi driver, who asked not be named, described how he was been offered a 1,000 naira (~$3) mobile phone card to get his vote, during the last presidential election. Then there’s also the fear of possible voter suppression and intimidation by party agents in their opponents’ strongholds.
The postponement of elections also shows INEC remains unable to solve its long-running logistical problems. But observers believe there’s a silver lining: INEC’s deliberate choice to distribute voting materials at the last possible moment is seen as part of its commitment to secure the elections.
But even though the lingering problems remain, Klein, a veteran observer of national polls in Nigeria since 2003, insists elections “are much better today.” As he puts it, the question isn’t so much as to whether Nigeria has a good electoral system, it’s whether the procedures that secure the elections will actually be followed on election day.
by Yomi Kazeem
Quartz
To his credit, due to progress made since, an election like that of 2007 (described as “a charade” by election observers) is unlikely today. And a major reason is INEC, Nigeria’s electoral commission, has embraced technology. While Nigeria’s elections are by no means fully electronic, the use of permanent voter cards (PVC) verified by electronic card readers to accredit voters has proven a major leap.
Under the current system, voters show up at polling units and have their PVC verified by card readers before being allowed to vote. The two-step authentication eliminates the dual problems of impersonation and multiple voting—previously rampant rigging tactics. It’s a major shift from the past when only paperwork (which could easily be faked) was enough to allow voters cast a ballot.
“The smart card readers and PVCs were a very important innovation that really enhanced the credibility of the elections,” says Richard Klein, senior adviser for elections at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). As Quartz Africa has reported, improvements in making elections more secure have forced politicians to rethink their campaign tactics to reach and convince voters directly.
INEC, which is going through its latest credibility test after delaying the presidential election by a week with a few hours to the polls opening on Feb. 16, has taken steps to protect its current set-up. This includes programming the card readers to work only at specific locations and during specific time frames on election day, which will now be Saturday Feb. 23.
To reduce the likelihood of a hack, the card readers are also programmed to only transmit data without receiving any during the polls. The commission has also proven proactive in solving any card reader-related problems. Eyitemi Egbejule, a cyber-security consultant, who worked on card reader tests as a third party consultant before they debuted in the 2015 election says INEC fixed all identified security issues before the elections. The commission has since upgraded the system ahead of this year’s elections.
Lingering problems
Despite major progress, INEC’s processes remain far from perfect. The commission’s technology could ultimately be undermined by its people if electoral officials abandon the card readers on election day as a result of intimidation by party agents or in a bid to speed up voting, Klein says. It’s a red flag that election observers will keenly watch out for.
The process of collation of results, still done manually, is also a weakness along the value chain and is susceptible to manipulation, Klein adds. There are also transparency concerns under INEC’s current system as it has not yet announced the total number of collected PVCs, despite calls from civic society groups to do so.
Political parties and actors in Nigeria are still trying to game the system too: vote buying tactics—offering money or food as inducements for votes on election day—have become more brazen. One Lagos taxi driver, who asked not be named, described how he was been offered a 1,000 naira (~$3) mobile phone card to get his vote, during the last presidential election. Then there’s also the fear of possible voter suppression and intimidation by party agents in their opponents’ strongholds.
The postponement of elections also shows INEC remains unable to solve its long-running logistical problems. But observers believe there’s a silver lining: INEC’s deliberate choice to distribute voting materials at the last possible moment is seen as part of its commitment to secure the elections.
But even though the lingering problems remain, Klein, a veteran observer of national polls in Nigeria since 2003, insists elections “are much better today.” As he puts it, the question isn’t so much as to whether Nigeria has a good electoral system, it’s whether the procedures that secure the elections will actually be followed on election day.
by Yomi Kazeem
Quartz
Who benefits from postponement of elections in Nigeria
Nigeria is to hold a delayed presidential election this Saturday after the initial vote was rescheduled in a dramatic overnight press conference, five hours before polls were due to have opened.
The last-minute cancellation surprised the country and inconvenienced thousands of Nigerians who had travelled a long way to cast their votes. It has also cost the economy $1.5bn (£1.15bn), according to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) has given several reasons for the delay, including attempted sabotage and logistical issues such as bad weather and problems with delivering the ballot papers.
The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and its main challenger, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), have both condemned the postponement and accused each other of trying to manipulate the vote.
So does the delay favour anyone?
In a statement issued on the day of the postponement, the APC alleged the PDP wanted to halt the momentum of its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. The PDP, whose presidential contender is Atiku Abubakar, on the other hand said Inec had delayed the election to create "the space to perfect their rigging plans".
According to Idayat Hassan, from Abuja-based think tank, the Centre for Democracy and Development, the week-long extension is too brief to have a significant influence on the result of the presidential vote.
She compares the latest postponement to the one in 2015, when the PDP - in government at the time - pushed the election back by six weeks, blaming the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east. That postponement, she says, ended up favouring the APC because it cast the PDP in a negative light - as a party that would pursue "power at all costs".
She believes this year's delay could slightly benefit the APC as it would increase voter apathy in most areas except those with historically high turnouts - "the north-west and the north-east... both strongholds of President Muhammadu Buhari".
Other analysts say the postponement is likely to harm both parties equally, as their supporters who had travelled home to vote last week will be unable to make another journey this weekend.
Another view holds that the delay will harm Mr Buhari's chances, as the electoral commission's un-readiness reflects poorly on him. The commission's chief, Mahmood Yakubu, was appointed by Mr Buhari in 2015.
Will the election definitely take place this Saturday?
Inec says there will be no further delays, but some observers have questioned whether the elections will go ahead on 23 February. Festus Mogae, a former president of Botswana, told the BBC's Newsday programme that he was doubtful that all the preparations would be completed.
"It's a great deal of work yet to be done," the head of the international election observation mission said.
"I don't know whether that can be managed or not, I am not in a position to judge but it makes me apprehensive."
And the former vice-president of The Gambia, Fatoumata Tambajang, said she too had doubts about whether Inec could meet its new deadline.
"One has to be realistic given the enormity of the activities that are supposed to be taken care of," she said.
As well as overcoming logistical hurdles, she said popular enthusiasm for the electoral process would have to be restored to where it was until last week's cancellation.
What does the election commission say?
For Inec, keeping to the new date is central to maintaining the public's trust. Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the resident electoral commissioner for the capital, Abuja, told the BBC there would be "pandemonium" if election materials were not deployed in time.
"People will just think that Inec has hidden them deliberately, so we can dock some of the results," he said.
The business community has also stressed the importance of avoiding further delays, with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry warning that economic activity would not pick up until the election had been held.
What happens next?
The first task is to reconfigure some 180,000 card readers that are being used to validate voters' identity cards and check their biometric details. The dates on the readers need to be changed to the new election date.
In a statement, Inec said this process would take five to six days, and is due to be completed by Thursday 21 February.
Some sensitive election materials, including ballot papers, have been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria for safekeeping. These are scheduled to be deployed around the country by Friday 22 February, at the latest.
Election staff, including an estimated one million so-called ad-hoc staff, will also be travelling then. It is unclear what happened to the staff and volunteers, including members of the country's youth corps, that had already been deployed last Friday.
By law, all campaigning must end 24 hours before polling stations open. After initially saying that the ban imposed last week would remain in force, Inec went back on its decision on Monday, allowing political parties to resume campaigning this week.
By Mayeni Jones
BBC
The last-minute cancellation surprised the country and inconvenienced thousands of Nigerians who had travelled a long way to cast their votes. It has also cost the economy $1.5bn (£1.15bn), according to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) has given several reasons for the delay, including attempted sabotage and logistical issues such as bad weather and problems with delivering the ballot papers.
The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and its main challenger, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), have both condemned the postponement and accused each other of trying to manipulate the vote.
So does the delay favour anyone?
In a statement issued on the day of the postponement, the APC alleged the PDP wanted to halt the momentum of its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. The PDP, whose presidential contender is Atiku Abubakar, on the other hand said Inec had delayed the election to create "the space to perfect their rigging plans".
According to Idayat Hassan, from Abuja-based think tank, the Centre for Democracy and Development, the week-long extension is too brief to have a significant influence on the result of the presidential vote.
She compares the latest postponement to the one in 2015, when the PDP - in government at the time - pushed the election back by six weeks, blaming the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east. That postponement, she says, ended up favouring the APC because it cast the PDP in a negative light - as a party that would pursue "power at all costs".
She believes this year's delay could slightly benefit the APC as it would increase voter apathy in most areas except those with historically high turnouts - "the north-west and the north-east... both strongholds of President Muhammadu Buhari".
Other analysts say the postponement is likely to harm both parties equally, as their supporters who had travelled home to vote last week will be unable to make another journey this weekend.
Another view holds that the delay will harm Mr Buhari's chances, as the electoral commission's un-readiness reflects poorly on him. The commission's chief, Mahmood Yakubu, was appointed by Mr Buhari in 2015.
Will the election definitely take place this Saturday?
Inec says there will be no further delays, but some observers have questioned whether the elections will go ahead on 23 February. Festus Mogae, a former president of Botswana, told the BBC's Newsday programme that he was doubtful that all the preparations would be completed.
"It's a great deal of work yet to be done," the head of the international election observation mission said.
"I don't know whether that can be managed or not, I am not in a position to judge but it makes me apprehensive."
And the former vice-president of The Gambia, Fatoumata Tambajang, said she too had doubts about whether Inec could meet its new deadline.
"One has to be realistic given the enormity of the activities that are supposed to be taken care of," she said.
As well as overcoming logistical hurdles, she said popular enthusiasm for the electoral process would have to be restored to where it was until last week's cancellation.
What does the election commission say?
For Inec, keeping to the new date is central to maintaining the public's trust. Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the resident electoral commissioner for the capital, Abuja, told the BBC there would be "pandemonium" if election materials were not deployed in time.
"People will just think that Inec has hidden them deliberately, so we can dock some of the results," he said.
The business community has also stressed the importance of avoiding further delays, with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry warning that economic activity would not pick up until the election had been held.
What happens next?
The first task is to reconfigure some 180,000 card readers that are being used to validate voters' identity cards and check their biometric details. The dates on the readers need to be changed to the new election date.
In a statement, Inec said this process would take five to six days, and is due to be completed by Thursday 21 February.
Some sensitive election materials, including ballot papers, have been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria for safekeeping. These are scheduled to be deployed around the country by Friday 22 February, at the latest.
Election staff, including an estimated one million so-called ad-hoc staff, will also be travelling then. It is unclear what happened to the staff and volunteers, including members of the country's youth corps, that had already been deployed last Friday.
By law, all campaigning must end 24 hours before polling stations open. After initially saying that the ban imposed last week would remain in force, Inec went back on its decision on Monday, allowing political parties to resume campaigning this week.
By Mayeni Jones
BBC
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Displaced children in Nigeria learn coding at mobile laboratory
Nigeria's internal conflicts have displaced nearly 2 million people, according to the United Nations, with 60 percent of them being children. A program in the Nigerian capital is trying to teach internally displaced children technology skills, including computer coding, with a mobile laboratory.
Twelve-year-old Michael Oladimeji fled with his family from Nigeria’s Borno State two years ago to escape Boko Haram terrorist attacks.
Over 10,000 people are living in camps in Abuja struggling for food, water, health care and education.
But Oladimeji was lucky - he became one of 100 students his age learning computer coding and animation at a mobile laboratory. The tech curriculum includes writing code with a program known as Scratch.
"At home I used to play with my daddy's phone but it's not enough for me to do my coding and to do my Scratch. So since we started this program, I've got the chance to do Scratch and make cartoons,” Oladimeji said.
Children like Oladimeji make up the majority of Nigeria's 1.8 million displaced people.
But Nigeria's Civic Innovation Lab – a technology hub - runs the initiative, which is shaping children's futures, according to program facilitator Angu Kingsley.
"Judging from where they came from, they have little knowledge about computers and education generally. So what we're trying to do is improve on what they already have, the knowledge they already have and build on it,” Kingsley said.
While only a hundred or so displaced kids have benefited so far, the project hopes to expand – if it can secure funding, says program head Fanto Foday.
"We only have few tablets and few computers so we've been having difficulties in the areas of giving assignment because when we leave we have to take the equipment, although the truck is there, they have access to the lab but they don't really have access to the gadgets,” Foday said.
But for conflict-displaced students like Oladimeji, the chance to learn computer coding could be a game-changer.
VOA
Twelve-year-old Michael Oladimeji fled with his family from Nigeria’s Borno State two years ago to escape Boko Haram terrorist attacks.
Over 10,000 people are living in camps in Abuja struggling for food, water, health care and education.
But Oladimeji was lucky - he became one of 100 students his age learning computer coding and animation at a mobile laboratory. The tech curriculum includes writing code with a program known as Scratch.
"At home I used to play with my daddy's phone but it's not enough for me to do my coding and to do my Scratch. So since we started this program, I've got the chance to do Scratch and make cartoons,” Oladimeji said.
Children like Oladimeji make up the majority of Nigeria's 1.8 million displaced people.
But Nigeria's Civic Innovation Lab – a technology hub - runs the initiative, which is shaping children's futures, according to program facilitator Angu Kingsley.
"Judging from where they came from, they have little knowledge about computers and education generally. So what we're trying to do is improve on what they already have, the knowledge they already have and build on it,” Kingsley said.
While only a hundred or so displaced kids have benefited so far, the project hopes to expand – if it can secure funding, says program head Fanto Foday.
"We only have few tablets and few computers so we've been having difficulties in the areas of giving assignment because when we leave we have to take the equipment, although the truck is there, they have access to the lab but they don't really have access to the gadgets,” Foday said.
But for conflict-displaced students like Oladimeji, the chance to learn computer coding could be a game-changer.
VOA
President Buhari vows to deal with vote riggers in Nigeria
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says he has ordered the police and military to be "ruthless" with vote-riggers, following the last-minute postponement of the general election.
Critics said his comments condoned "jungle justice".
The incumbent president also called the electoral commission incompetent and ordered an investigation into why the vote was delayed.
Election officials cited "logistical" reasons for the postponement.
Mr Buhari made the comments at an emergency meeting of his All Progressives Congress party (APC) in the capital, Abuja.
"Anybody who decides to snatch [ballot] boxes or use thugs to disturb it [the vote] - maybe this will be the last unlawful action he will take," he said.
He went on to say that anybody who tried to interfere with the election would do so "at the expense of his life".
'Licence to kill'
Nigeria's main opposition party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), said it was a "direct call for jungle justice".
"It is indeed a licence to kill, which should not come from any leader of any civilised nation," said PDP party spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan.
Mr Buhari also hit out at the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).
In his speech to senior party members about the postponement, Mr Buhari said questions needed to be answered about "why such incompetence manifested itself" and promised an investigation.
Inec postponed the election just over five hours before polling stations were due to open on Saturday morning.
They said this was because of problems with transporting ballot papers to some parts of the country.
The presidential and parliamentary polls will now be held on Saturday 23 February.
Governorship, state assembly and federal area council elections have been rescheduled until Saturday 9 March.
Doubts about the new date
However, election observers have told the BBC's Newsday programme that they were not 100% sure the elections would go ahead on Saturday
Festus Mogae, the former president of Botswana, said he was "apprehensive" that all the work that needs to be done, including auditing ballot boxes, will be done in time.
Another international observer, former Vice-President of The Gambia Fatoumata Tambajang, said "it's in doubt because one has to be realistic given the enormity of the activities that are supposed to be taken care of".
Despite these doubts, election commissioner Festus Okoye told the BBC that the commission had ruled out further delays, insisting "there is no challenge any more".
Under the electoral law, campaigning was halted 24 before the election was due to start and the electoral commission said it would remain suspended until polling day on Saturday.
However, the two main parties have said they intended to resume their campaigns.
BBC
Critics said his comments condoned "jungle justice".
The incumbent president also called the electoral commission incompetent and ordered an investigation into why the vote was delayed.
Election officials cited "logistical" reasons for the postponement.
Mr Buhari made the comments at an emergency meeting of his All Progressives Congress party (APC) in the capital, Abuja.
"Anybody who decides to snatch [ballot] boxes or use thugs to disturb it [the vote] - maybe this will be the last unlawful action he will take," he said.
He went on to say that anybody who tried to interfere with the election would do so "at the expense of his life".
'Licence to kill'
Nigeria's main opposition party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), said it was a "direct call for jungle justice".
"It is indeed a licence to kill, which should not come from any leader of any civilised nation," said PDP party spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan.
Mr Buhari also hit out at the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).
In his speech to senior party members about the postponement, Mr Buhari said questions needed to be answered about "why such incompetence manifested itself" and promised an investigation.
Inec postponed the election just over five hours before polling stations were due to open on Saturday morning.
They said this was because of problems with transporting ballot papers to some parts of the country.
The presidential and parliamentary polls will now be held on Saturday 23 February.
Governorship, state assembly and federal area council elections have been rescheduled until Saturday 9 March.
Doubts about the new date
However, election observers have told the BBC's Newsday programme that they were not 100% sure the elections would go ahead on Saturday
Festus Mogae, the former president of Botswana, said he was "apprehensive" that all the work that needs to be done, including auditing ballot boxes, will be done in time.
Another international observer, former Vice-President of The Gambia Fatoumata Tambajang, said "it's in doubt because one has to be realistic given the enormity of the activities that are supposed to be taken care of".
Despite these doubts, election commissioner Festus Okoye told the BBC that the commission had ruled out further delays, insisting "there is no challenge any more".
Under the electoral law, campaigning was halted 24 before the election was due to start and the electoral commission said it would remain suspended until polling day on Saturday.
However, the two main parties have said they intended to resume their campaigns.
BBC
Monday, February 18, 2019
Video - Residents urged to turn up and vote in the re-scheduled elections
Towns and cities across Nigeria are slowly coming back to life as Nigerians prepare for the working week ahead of the re-scheduled polls. But there are concerns that there will be a low voter turnout. Political parties are, however, urging their supporters to turn up in large numbers and vote on February the 23rd.
Video - INEC appeals to voters to trust its ability to conduct polls in Nigeria
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission is appealing to voters to trust in its ability to conduct a free, fair and credible election. After an extensive meeting with stake-holders in the nation's capital Abuja, the commission clarified its decision to postpone the general elections by one week.
Video - Religious unrest key concern in run-up to Nigeria election
Religious violence between Christians and Muslims is also a concern ahead of Saturday's vote in Nigeria. Officials in the northwest have discovered the bodies of 66 people killed by what they are calling "criminal elements". The remains of 22 children were among those found in eight villages in the Kajuru area of Kaduna state. Security forces say they have already made some arrests.
Video - Nigeria elections delayed by transport problems
Fires, possible sabotage and logistical challenges are being blamed for Nigeria's election being pushed back. A last-minute decision to postpone the ballot by one week caught everyone, from voters to candidates, off guard. The Electoral Commission says many states simply were not ready to hold the election, and more time was needed to ensure the elections were free, fair and credible.
Video - Disappointment and anger over elections delay in Nigeria
The postponement of elections in Nigeria has been a major inconvenience for millions of voters, especially those who have taken long and expensive journeys to cast their ballots. On Saturday, the election commission decided to delay polls for a week, saying it needs more time to ensure a free and fair vote. But there are concerns that the decision could lead to a low turnout.
Video - Economic fears mount over Nigeria election delay
Some of Nigeria's leading presidential candidates have condemned the decision to postpone elections by a week. Many have blamed each other for the delay, announced by the election commission hours before polls were due to open. There is also growing concern about the economic effect.
Video - Gunmen kill 66 in Nigeria
There's a twist to the story of an attack that reportedly claimed over 60 lives in some communities in Kaduna State, in the northwest of the country. Authorities said 66 people were killed by unknown gunmen in Kajuru on Friday night. Among the dead were 22 women and 12 children. But some of the residents are telling a different story.
Stocks fall due to last minute delay elections in Nigeria
Nigerian stocks fell the most in more than five months and bond yields rose after Africa’s biggest oil producer delayed last weekend’s presidential and parliamentary election at the last minute.
The one-week postponement, just a few hours before voting was scheduled to start on Saturday morning, rattled investors and led to accusations from both President Muhammadu Buhari’s party and the opposition, led by Atiku Abubakar, of skulduggery against one another.
Nigeria’s stock benchmark dropped 2.5 percent by 1.30 p.m. in Lagos, the commercial capital, the most among major indexes globally and its biggest fall since Sept. 12. Dangote Cement Plc, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote and the largest company on the bourse, lost 3.6 percent. Yields on the government’s $1.5 billion Eurobond maturing in November 2027 rose 7 basis points to 7.19 percent. Nigerian assets had rallied since the end of January on the expectation of a smooth election.
“It’s sent a very negative signal,” Ayodeji Ebo, managing director at Afrinvest West Africa Ltd. in Lagos, said by phone. “Some investors are trying to reduce their positions.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission’s delay marked the third consecutive time that Nigeria has postponed a nationwide vote. A week before the 2015 ballot, it was moved back by more than a month. Buhari went on to win and become the first opposition candidate to take power in Africa’s biggest oil producer.
As well as pushing back the presidential and parliamentary vote to Feb. 23, INEC delayed governorship elections for a week until March 9.
The chairman of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, said INEC had colluded with the Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party over the delay.
The election body “is working with anti-democratic forces,” he told reporters in Abuja, the capital, at a press conference. “INEC’s leadership knew they were going to postpone and shared this information with the People’s Democratic Party not to waste their money, while telling us everything was well.”
An INEC spokesman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, denied any party had been informed in advance.
Former general Buhari, 76, said at the same press conference that he didn’t know about the delay in advance and that INEC had to explain its “incompetence.”
Logistical Problems
Abubakar, a 72-year-old businessman and ex-vice president, said there was a plot by the government to rig the election by stifling voter turnout in areas where he needs big majorities to win.
An INEC spokesman didn’t immediately respond to the comments by Buhari and Oshiomhole. But its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said Sunday the delay was because of logistical problems and had nothing to do with political interference or security concerns.
Election officials and members of the national youth corps were left stranded across the country. Many Nigerians had traveled to their hometowns to vote and won’t be able to afford a trip for a second weekend running.
“I can’t stay here till next Saturday just to vote and I can’t return here again next week just to vote,” Onyeka Ikoro, a 45-year-old electronics dealer who traveled from Lagos to his hometown of Ohafia in Abia State. “Atiku and Obi will lose my vote. It doesn’t make me happy but what can I do?”
Nigerian assets may recover later in the week if investors think the delay won’t be repeated or lead to violence, according to Aderonke Akinsola, an analyst at Chapel Hill Denham, an investment bank in Lagos.
“The personal costs will be high,” Andrew Alli, former chief executive officer of Lagos-based African Finance Corp., said in an emailed response to questions. “But as long as it doesn’t portend some major election dispute after the voting, I don’t think the ultimate effect will be that major.”
By Solape Renner, Emele Onu, and Paul Wallace
With assistance by Tope Alake
Bloomberg
The one-week postponement, just a few hours before voting was scheduled to start on Saturday morning, rattled investors and led to accusations from both President Muhammadu Buhari’s party and the opposition, led by Atiku Abubakar, of skulduggery against one another.
Nigeria’s stock benchmark dropped 2.5 percent by 1.30 p.m. in Lagos, the commercial capital, the most among major indexes globally and its biggest fall since Sept. 12. Dangote Cement Plc, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote and the largest company on the bourse, lost 3.6 percent. Yields on the government’s $1.5 billion Eurobond maturing in November 2027 rose 7 basis points to 7.19 percent. Nigerian assets had rallied since the end of January on the expectation of a smooth election.
“It’s sent a very negative signal,” Ayodeji Ebo, managing director at Afrinvest West Africa Ltd. in Lagos, said by phone. “Some investors are trying to reduce their positions.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission’s delay marked the third consecutive time that Nigeria has postponed a nationwide vote. A week before the 2015 ballot, it was moved back by more than a month. Buhari went on to win and become the first opposition candidate to take power in Africa’s biggest oil producer.
As well as pushing back the presidential and parliamentary vote to Feb. 23, INEC delayed governorship elections for a week until March 9.
The chairman of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, said INEC had colluded with the Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party over the delay.
The election body “is working with anti-democratic forces,” he told reporters in Abuja, the capital, at a press conference. “INEC’s leadership knew they were going to postpone and shared this information with the People’s Democratic Party not to waste their money, while telling us everything was well.”
An INEC spokesman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, denied any party had been informed in advance.
Former general Buhari, 76, said at the same press conference that he didn’t know about the delay in advance and that INEC had to explain its “incompetence.”
Logistical Problems
Abubakar, a 72-year-old businessman and ex-vice president, said there was a plot by the government to rig the election by stifling voter turnout in areas where he needs big majorities to win.
An INEC spokesman didn’t immediately respond to the comments by Buhari and Oshiomhole. But its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said Sunday the delay was because of logistical problems and had nothing to do with political interference or security concerns.
Election officials and members of the national youth corps were left stranded across the country. Many Nigerians had traveled to their hometowns to vote and won’t be able to afford a trip for a second weekend running.
“I can’t stay here till next Saturday just to vote and I can’t return here again next week just to vote,” Onyeka Ikoro, a 45-year-old electronics dealer who traveled from Lagos to his hometown of Ohafia in Abia State. “Atiku and Obi will lose my vote. It doesn’t make me happy but what can I do?”
Nigerian assets may recover later in the week if investors think the delay won’t be repeated or lead to violence, according to Aderonke Akinsola, an analyst at Chapel Hill Denham, an investment bank in Lagos.
“The personal costs will be high,” Andrew Alli, former chief executive officer of Lagos-based African Finance Corp., said in an emailed response to questions. “But as long as it doesn’t portend some major election dispute after the voting, I don’t think the ultimate effect will be that major.”
By Solape Renner, Emele Onu, and Paul Wallace
With assistance by Tope Alake
Bloomberg
Friday, February 15, 2019
Video - Why aren't more women in politics in Nigeria?
Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy but has one of the lowest percentages of female political representation on the continent. Women make up less than 6 percent of the country’s parliament, according to the International Parliamentary Union, and no Nigerian woman has ever been elected president, vice president or governor.
Women aspiring to become politicians often encounter a lack of support from a society that is conservative and patriarchal. Some have even experienced gender-based election harassment and violence.
Out of more than 70 candidates, six women ran for president this year. The most well-known female candidate, Oby Ezekwesili - a former education minister and Bring Back Our Girls campaign co-founder - withdrew from the race last month to support an opposition coalition.
What should be done to increase women's participation in government, and to what extent is gender equality an issue in this year’s election? In this episode, we’ll learn about the experiences of Nigerian women trying to make it in politics and hear their views on the country’s upcoming election.
Video - Nigeria's frustrated youth call for progress ahead of election
The youth vote is likely to play a major part in Nigeria's presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday. Jobs are increasingly scarce and the cost of living is rising, leading to frustration among this younger generation. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa met young people in the capital Abuja, who are hoping for change.
Video - Importance of peace accord ahead of elections in Nigeria
Ahead of Nigeria's presidential election scheduled for Saturday 16th February, the two main candidates Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar signed a peace accord on Wednesday. They both pledged to accept the result of the poll as announced by INEC, and to be ambassadors of peace in the country.
But just how important is the accord to Nigerians?
Thursday, February 14, 2019
The spread of fake news in Nigerian elections
The campaign to elect Nigeria's next president is drawing to a close with accusations flying over the abuse of social media to spread misleading information.
Both of the main political parties have told BBC Reality Check their rivals are involved in the spread of disinformation.
The incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his main rival, Atiku Abubakar, running for the People's Democratic Party (PDP), have both been the target of videos containing dubious or inaccurate information, being shared online.
Accusations flying in both directions
"There has been some efforts by the PDP campaign to push disinformation," says Tolu Ogunlesi, head of digital communications for President Buhari.
Both parties deny any knowledge of people inside the party spreading disinformation.
"The APC is predicated on propaganda - they have manipulated pictures and words," says Paul Ibe, a media adviser to Mr Abubakar.
The APC denies the accusations and attacks the PDP for spreading lies.
"Political parties support and encourage the dissemination of divisive 'fake news' on their behalf but have little control over its development and spread," according to Jonathan Fisher, who is overseeing a project looking at the role of WhatsApp in Nigeria's elections.
Written posts, photos and videos have been shared on social media platforms, publicly on Facebook and in private WhatsApp groups, spreading unsubstantiated rumours about the candidates.
One of the most prominent is that a double is standing in for President Buhari at public events, which he has repeatedly and firmly denied.
Here is a round-up from Reality Check of some of the false rumours and misleading information spread against the two men vying to become Nigeria's next president.
Missing Dapchi girl
One example of disinformation, which started to appear on social media a few days ago, has been about Leah Sharibu, a 15-year-old held captive for nearly a year by Islamist militants Boko Haram for refusing to convert to Islam.
More than 100 girls were kidnapped from the village of Dapchi, in northern Nigeria, and all but one have now been released.
The messages and posts, spread on WhatsApp and Facebook, claimed that Leah had died - and they quickly went viral.
An anonymous "family source" had confirmed the death of the girl, according to social media posts.
In response, a government minister called the story "absolute fake news" and Mr Ogunlesi, from Mr Buhari's campaign, says the story was used to deliberately target the government.
Free cash?
The accusation here is that opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar was behind a ploy to hand out cash and food boxes at a political rally.
This story was shared online by an aide to President Buhari, who posted a photo of boxes wrapped together with Nigerian currency notes in the northern state of Sokoto.
"Keep them in poverty, then give them handouts - Atiku in Sokoto yesterday," she wrote.
The Buhari campaign denies spreading any disinformation.
However, the photo is two years old and was taken at an event organised by the Kokun Foundation, which campaigns against hunger.
A media adviser for the Atiku campaign told BBC Reality Check: "Atiku will not give handouts to anybody."
Make Nigeria worse again?
Another widely shared video accuses Atiku Abubakar of brokering a deal with Boko Haram in exchange for land and oil.
The short video, viewed over 200,000 times, was shared from a Facebook page called "Make Nigeria Worse Again". But it has no details about where or when the Atiku campaign was supposed to have announced the plan.
The Atiku campaign team told BBC Reality Check that the deal did not exist - "there is nothing to that affect".
When Buhari voted 'against Nigeria'
And finally, we've turned up an inaccurate story doing the rounds online portraying Muhammadu Buhari as both unpatriotic and bestowing favours on a member of his own ethnic group when he was military head of state in the 1980s.
This would be potentially damaging to Mr Buhari's attempt to appeal to all Nigerians, not just those from his own region.
The story relates to Mr Buhari's failure to support the election of a Nigerian candidate for the post of secretary general of the Organisation of African Unity, the precursor of the African Union (AU).
Instead, the story goes, he supported a non-Nigerian from the neighbouring country of Niger - where a member of his own Fulani ethnic group was a candidate for the job.
This story has been repeatedly and emphatically rejected by the president's spokesman, Garba Shehu.
BBC
Both of the main political parties have told BBC Reality Check their rivals are involved in the spread of disinformation.
The incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his main rival, Atiku Abubakar, running for the People's Democratic Party (PDP), have both been the target of videos containing dubious or inaccurate information, being shared online.
Accusations flying in both directions
"There has been some efforts by the PDP campaign to push disinformation," says Tolu Ogunlesi, head of digital communications for President Buhari.
Both parties deny any knowledge of people inside the party spreading disinformation.
"The APC is predicated on propaganda - they have manipulated pictures and words," says Paul Ibe, a media adviser to Mr Abubakar.
The APC denies the accusations and attacks the PDP for spreading lies.
"Political parties support and encourage the dissemination of divisive 'fake news' on their behalf but have little control over its development and spread," according to Jonathan Fisher, who is overseeing a project looking at the role of WhatsApp in Nigeria's elections.
Written posts, photos and videos have been shared on social media platforms, publicly on Facebook and in private WhatsApp groups, spreading unsubstantiated rumours about the candidates.
One of the most prominent is that a double is standing in for President Buhari at public events, which he has repeatedly and firmly denied.
Here is a round-up from Reality Check of some of the false rumours and misleading information spread against the two men vying to become Nigeria's next president.
Missing Dapchi girl
One example of disinformation, which started to appear on social media a few days ago, has been about Leah Sharibu, a 15-year-old held captive for nearly a year by Islamist militants Boko Haram for refusing to convert to Islam.
More than 100 girls were kidnapped from the village of Dapchi, in northern Nigeria, and all but one have now been released.
The messages and posts, spread on WhatsApp and Facebook, claimed that Leah had died - and they quickly went viral.
An anonymous "family source" had confirmed the death of the girl, according to social media posts.
In response, a government minister called the story "absolute fake news" and Mr Ogunlesi, from Mr Buhari's campaign, says the story was used to deliberately target the government.
Free cash?
The accusation here is that opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar was behind a ploy to hand out cash and food boxes at a political rally.
This story was shared online by an aide to President Buhari, who posted a photo of boxes wrapped together with Nigerian currency notes in the northern state of Sokoto.
"Keep them in poverty, then give them handouts - Atiku in Sokoto yesterday," she wrote.
The Buhari campaign denies spreading any disinformation.
However, the photo is two years old and was taken at an event organised by the Kokun Foundation, which campaigns against hunger.
A media adviser for the Atiku campaign told BBC Reality Check: "Atiku will not give handouts to anybody."
Make Nigeria worse again?
Another widely shared video accuses Atiku Abubakar of brokering a deal with Boko Haram in exchange for land and oil.
The short video, viewed over 200,000 times, was shared from a Facebook page called "Make Nigeria Worse Again". But it has no details about where or when the Atiku campaign was supposed to have announced the plan.
The Atiku campaign team told BBC Reality Check that the deal did not exist - "there is nothing to that affect".
When Buhari voted 'against Nigeria'
And finally, we've turned up an inaccurate story doing the rounds online portraying Muhammadu Buhari as both unpatriotic and bestowing favours on a member of his own ethnic group when he was military head of state in the 1980s.
This would be potentially damaging to Mr Buhari's attempt to appeal to all Nigerians, not just those from his own region.
The story relates to Mr Buhari's failure to support the election of a Nigerian candidate for the post of secretary general of the Organisation of African Unity, the precursor of the African Union (AU).
Instead, the story goes, he supported a non-Nigerian from the neighbouring country of Niger - where a member of his own Fulani ethnic group was a candidate for the job.
This story has been repeatedly and emphatically rejected by the president's spokesman, Garba Shehu.
BBC
Opposition party in Nigeria elections alleges ghost voters
Nigeria's opposition says there are more than 1 million ghost voters on the national register head of Saturday's presidential election.
Uche Secondus, the chairman of the opposition People's Democratic Party, told a news conference in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday that the electoral commission "did not in fact do a cleanup of the register of voters" before publishing it.
He also alleged "a coordinated approach to register foreigners" as voters.
The People's Democratic Party, whose presidential candidate is Atiku Abubakar, is Nigeria's main opposition party.
A spokesman for the electoral commission did not respond to requests for a comment.
The electoral commission says 84 million people are registered to vote.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his top challenger, Abubakar, renewed a pledge for a peaceful poll on Wednesday.
AP
Uche Secondus, the chairman of the opposition People's Democratic Party, told a news conference in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday that the electoral commission "did not in fact do a cleanup of the register of voters" before publishing it.
He also alleged "a coordinated approach to register foreigners" as voters.
The People's Democratic Party, whose presidential candidate is Atiku Abubakar, is Nigeria's main opposition party.
A spokesman for the electoral commission did not respond to requests for a comment.
The electoral commission says 84 million people are registered to vote.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his top challenger, Abubakar, renewed a pledge for a peaceful poll on Wednesday.
AP
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Stampede in President Buhari rally leaves several dead
Several people have been killed in a stampede at a rally in support of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's candidacy days before the country's presidential and legislative elections, his office has said.
The incident on Tuesday took place in Port Harcourt, a southern city in the Niger Delta oil-production heartland.
Buhari's office said in a statement the president had been "informed of the tragic deaths of several members of his All Progressives Congress (APC) party".
Local media said panic broke out at the end of the gathering, held inside the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium when crowds tried to force their way through a locked exit.
"Those from behind were pushing and putting pressure on those in front leading to some persons falling on the ground and being trampled upon," said journalist Egufe Yafugborhi of the Vanguard newspaper.
In a statement, Judith Amaechi, who runs the party's regional women and youth team, expressed "deep shock over the death of APC members who were in a stampede".
The statement did not specify the number of people killed.
Separately, a spokesman for the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital said the stampede claimed at least 14 lives.
"There are others under medical attention at the Emergency Unit, so we can't force a clear figure beyond what the situation is at the moment," Kem Daniel-Elebiga told AFP news agency.
Rising tensions
The February 16 elections in Africa's most populous country will see Buhari stand for a second four-year term against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in what is expected to be a close race.
In recent weeks, tensions have risen between the APC and Abubakar's People's Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP has accused the government of seeking to rig the vote while the APC has said the opposition party is fomenting unrest.
On Sunday, five APC members were shot and killed near the oil hub of Warri city in southeast Nigeria, with authorities calling it a revenge attack by people suspected to be from the opposition.
Clashes between APC and PDP supporters have been reported from various places in Africa's largest democracy.
Nigeria has a history of election violence, with analysts warning that the forthcoming vote might be one of the bloodiest in its history.
The last election in 2015 was considered free and fair, but state and local elections, as well as earlier presidential polls, have been marred by violence and fraud allegations.
Al Jazeera
The incident on Tuesday took place in Port Harcourt, a southern city in the Niger Delta oil-production heartland.
Buhari's office said in a statement the president had been "informed of the tragic deaths of several members of his All Progressives Congress (APC) party".
Local media said panic broke out at the end of the gathering, held inside the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium when crowds tried to force their way through a locked exit.
"Those from behind were pushing and putting pressure on those in front leading to some persons falling on the ground and being trampled upon," said journalist Egufe Yafugborhi of the Vanguard newspaper.
In a statement, Judith Amaechi, who runs the party's regional women and youth team, expressed "deep shock over the death of APC members who were in a stampede".
The statement did not specify the number of people killed.
Separately, a spokesman for the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital said the stampede claimed at least 14 lives.
"There are others under medical attention at the Emergency Unit, so we can't force a clear figure beyond what the situation is at the moment," Kem Daniel-Elebiga told AFP news agency.
Rising tensions
The February 16 elections in Africa's most populous country will see Buhari stand for a second four-year term against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in what is expected to be a close race.
In recent weeks, tensions have risen between the APC and Abubakar's People's Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP has accused the government of seeking to rig the vote while the APC has said the opposition party is fomenting unrest.
On Sunday, five APC members were shot and killed near the oil hub of Warri city in southeast Nigeria, with authorities calling it a revenge attack by people suspected to be from the opposition.
Clashes between APC and PDP supporters have been reported from various places in Africa's largest democracy.
Nigeria has a history of election violence, with analysts warning that the forthcoming vote might be one of the bloodiest in its history.
The last election in 2015 was considered free and fair, but state and local elections, as well as earlier presidential polls, have been marred by violence and fraud allegations.
Al Jazeera
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Video - Boko Haram conflict tops agenda at Nigeria election
The people of Nigeria will vote for their new government on Saturday. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari won the election in 2015, promising to fight corruption and the armed group Boko Haram. A recent surge in attacks claimed by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The violence affects parts of Chad, Niger, and Cameroon with Nigeria’s Borno State the worst affected. Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris reports from the state capital Maiduguri on how security remains top of the agenda ahead of Nigeria's upcoming elections.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Election office in Nigeria burnt down six days before polls
An office for Nigeria's election commission has been burned down just six days before the country is due to vote in a general election.
The fire in Plateau State has destroyed ballot boxes and voting slips.
An electoral commission spokesperson called it a setback for the preparations for the election but is quoted in This Day as saying that it is too early to suspect sabotage.
The general election is due to be held on Saturday.
On Sunday President Muhammadu Buhari warned of potential electoral fraud.
"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has raised concerns over laundered money being funnelled into vote buying," he said an editorial published in the Pulse newspaper.
He is running for re-election in Saturday's poll where more than 84 million people are registered to vote.
Although there are many presidential candidates, analysts say Mr Buhari's main contender is former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
BBC
The fire in Plateau State has destroyed ballot boxes and voting slips.
An electoral commission spokesperson called it a setback for the preparations for the election but is quoted in This Day as saying that it is too early to suspect sabotage.
The general election is due to be held on Saturday.
On Sunday President Muhammadu Buhari warned of potential electoral fraud.
"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has raised concerns over laundered money being funnelled into vote buying," he said an editorial published in the Pulse newspaper.
He is running for re-election in Saturday's poll where more than 84 million people are registered to vote.
Although there are many presidential candidates, analysts say Mr Buhari's main contender is former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
BBC
Friday, February 8, 2019
Democracy in Nigeria is fading away
On January 25, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the country's top judge, Walter Onnoghen, and replaced him with an acting chief justice merely weeks before a presidential election in which judiciary can play an important role.
Onnoghen, as the head of Nigeria's independent judiciary, had helped resolve electoral disputes in past elections, some of which have been marred by violence and vote-rigging. He was similarly expected to preside over any dispute that may arise in the upcoming February 16 election.
The judge's controversial suspension so close to the election date caused uproar across Nigeria, with the Nigerian Bar Association embarking on a two-day strike and the main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, calling the president's decision "an act of dictatorship". The international community also expressed dismay over the usurpation of the judicial arm of the government by the executive branch, with the US and the EU suggesting the judge's removal could "cast a pall over the electoral process".
Violating judicial independence
Only four years ago, following the March 2015 presidential election, former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded his defeat to then-opposition candidate Buhari, becoming the first sitting president in Nigeria to do so. Jonathan's voluntary admission of electoral defeat, which was a rarity not only in Nigeria but across the African continent, encouraged Nigerian voters to place their trust in Buhari, an erstwhile dictator who famously labelled himself "a reformed democrat", to protect their rights and freedoms.
Democratic governments function on the principle of separation of powers - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary - which aims to prevent a descent to autocracy by providing for checks and balances. This is why Buhari's decision to suspend Onnoghen, an apparent violation of judicial independence, was a cause for disappointment and alarm for many who believed the president would uphold democratic values. However, it needs to be noted that the suspension of the chief justice was hardly the first time the Buhari administration infringed the principle of separation of powers and put the future of Nigerian democracy at risk.
Since Buhari took over the presidency, the federal government repeatedly used the fight against corruption - one of the cardinal promises of the current administration - as a tool to side-step the judiciary and illegally lock away, intimidate and silence its opponents and adversaries. For example, the federal government refused to release former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, who had been arrested on corruption charges in December 2015, even though he has been granted bail by several Nigerian high court judges and the ECOWAS court of justice. He remains behind bars to this day.
Moreover, throughout his first term in power, President Buhari openly argued for putting national interests over the rule of law, preparing the ground for authoritarianism and lawless actions.
At the 2018 General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, for example, the president said, "Rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation's security and national interest," and maintained that the state should be allowed to waive fundamental rights of alleged offenders when national security and public interest were threatened. Ironically, the suspended Chief Justice Onnoghen was in attendance at the event, but failed to respond to the president's blatant attack on the rule of law and the integrity of the judiciary.
Muzzled media, civil society
The judiciary was not the only branch of the government that faced attacks during Buhari's presidency. The members of the legislative branch have also been targeted by state operatives for acting against the Buhari administration.
In August 2018, armed and masked officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) staged a blockade of the National Assembly. That very same summer, prominent senators who have maintained opposition to the government also had their homes raided. The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, and one of his key allies in the Senate, Dino Melaye, are currently being investigated and harassed by the police over alleged criminal activities. The list can go on.
When the institutions that are meant to provide checks and balances, such as the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, are subdued, independent media and civil society are supposed to take over the responsibility of holding corrupt executives to account.
Unfortunately, neither the media nor the civil society fared any better in Buhari's Nigeria.
Nigeria declined three places in RSF's World Press Freedom Index in the last three years, ranking 119th out of 180 countries in 2018. Under the Buhari administration, several journalists and activists have been imprisoned and tried on terrorism charges. A section of the Nigerian Cyberterrorism Act 2015, which was signed into law by former President Jonathan, has also been weaponized against dissenters, especially Nigerian citizens active on social media. Moreover, in 2016 the Nigerian Senate flirted with the Frivolous Petitions Bill, aka "the anti-social media law", which included over-reaching provisions for social media regulation. The bill, seen by many as a dangerous encroachment on free expression, was eventually pulled following public outcry. A similar bill that seeks to equate hate speech with terrorism, however, is currently being deliberated in the National Assembly.
In the last four years, the Buhari administration erased all the gains we made in the 2015 election and created the perfect environment for autocracy by further weakening our democratic institutions, muzzling our civil society, silencing independent journalists and questioning the supremacy of the rule of law. As Nigerians head to vote in the upcoming polls, we must bear in mind that elections do not make a democracy. The current state of affairs in Nigeria should be a bigger concern for us all than any potential outcome of the upcoming election.
Written by Adewunmi Emoruwa
Al Jazeera
Onnoghen, as the head of Nigeria's independent judiciary, had helped resolve electoral disputes in past elections, some of which have been marred by violence and vote-rigging. He was similarly expected to preside over any dispute that may arise in the upcoming February 16 election.
The judge's controversial suspension so close to the election date caused uproar across Nigeria, with the Nigerian Bar Association embarking on a two-day strike and the main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, calling the president's decision "an act of dictatorship". The international community also expressed dismay over the usurpation of the judicial arm of the government by the executive branch, with the US and the EU suggesting the judge's removal could "cast a pall over the electoral process".
Violating judicial independence
Only four years ago, following the March 2015 presidential election, former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded his defeat to then-opposition candidate Buhari, becoming the first sitting president in Nigeria to do so. Jonathan's voluntary admission of electoral defeat, which was a rarity not only in Nigeria but across the African continent, encouraged Nigerian voters to place their trust in Buhari, an erstwhile dictator who famously labelled himself "a reformed democrat", to protect their rights and freedoms.
Democratic governments function on the principle of separation of powers - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary - which aims to prevent a descent to autocracy by providing for checks and balances. This is why Buhari's decision to suspend Onnoghen, an apparent violation of judicial independence, was a cause for disappointment and alarm for many who believed the president would uphold democratic values. However, it needs to be noted that the suspension of the chief justice was hardly the first time the Buhari administration infringed the principle of separation of powers and put the future of Nigerian democracy at risk.
Since Buhari took over the presidency, the federal government repeatedly used the fight against corruption - one of the cardinal promises of the current administration - as a tool to side-step the judiciary and illegally lock away, intimidate and silence its opponents and adversaries. For example, the federal government refused to release former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, who had been arrested on corruption charges in December 2015, even though he has been granted bail by several Nigerian high court judges and the ECOWAS court of justice. He remains behind bars to this day.
Moreover, throughout his first term in power, President Buhari openly argued for putting national interests over the rule of law, preparing the ground for authoritarianism and lawless actions.
At the 2018 General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, for example, the president said, "Rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation's security and national interest," and maintained that the state should be allowed to waive fundamental rights of alleged offenders when national security and public interest were threatened. Ironically, the suspended Chief Justice Onnoghen was in attendance at the event, but failed to respond to the president's blatant attack on the rule of law and the integrity of the judiciary.
Muzzled media, civil society
The judiciary was not the only branch of the government that faced attacks during Buhari's presidency. The members of the legislative branch have also been targeted by state operatives for acting against the Buhari administration.
In August 2018, armed and masked officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) staged a blockade of the National Assembly. That very same summer, prominent senators who have maintained opposition to the government also had their homes raided. The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, and one of his key allies in the Senate, Dino Melaye, are currently being investigated and harassed by the police over alleged criminal activities. The list can go on.
When the institutions that are meant to provide checks and balances, such as the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, are subdued, independent media and civil society are supposed to take over the responsibility of holding corrupt executives to account.
Unfortunately, neither the media nor the civil society fared any better in Buhari's Nigeria.
Nigeria declined three places in RSF's World Press Freedom Index in the last three years, ranking 119th out of 180 countries in 2018. Under the Buhari administration, several journalists and activists have been imprisoned and tried on terrorism charges. A section of the Nigerian Cyberterrorism Act 2015, which was signed into law by former President Jonathan, has also been weaponized against dissenters, especially Nigerian citizens active on social media. Moreover, in 2016 the Nigerian Senate flirted with the Frivolous Petitions Bill, aka "the anti-social media law", which included over-reaching provisions for social media regulation. The bill, seen by many as a dangerous encroachment on free expression, was eventually pulled following public outcry. A similar bill that seeks to equate hate speech with terrorism, however, is currently being deliberated in the National Assembly.
In the last four years, the Buhari administration erased all the gains we made in the 2015 election and created the perfect environment for autocracy by further weakening our democratic institutions, muzzling our civil society, silencing independent journalists and questioning the supremacy of the rule of law. As Nigerians head to vote in the upcoming polls, we must bear in mind that elections do not make a democracy. The current state of affairs in Nigeria should be a bigger concern for us all than any potential outcome of the upcoming election.
Written by Adewunmi Emoruwa
Al Jazeera
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