By RFPosted on 20-02-2019Modified on 20-02-2019 at 05:03

In Nigeria, what future for the electoral commission after the postponement of the general elections in extremis? As tensions escalate this week between the two main parties, who accuse each other of sabotaging Saturday's election, civil society questions the future of the electoral commission (INEC). This postponement is not the first since the return of democracy in 1999, it is urgent to reform the organization.

The postponement of the week-long general election was surprising, but not surprising. The electoral commission is not at its first referral, as Idayat Hassan, director of the Center for Democracy and Development, a research institute based in Abuja, explains.

" It's almost a sad habit since 2011. That year, the elections were interrupted in the middle of the day as people voted," says the researcher. In 2015, they were again postponed because of security concerns. And this time again, less than 5 hours before the start of the poll. But here we had the guarantee of Inec that everything was in place. From what was said, they knew the problems 3 or 4 days before the beginning of the poll. To announce it 24 hours before would have been enough to postpone the day of the vote. I think they did not realize the magnitude of the task. "

Calls for the resignation of the president of the INEC

More than 84 million voters, 72 presidential candidates and more than 4,000 other candidates, after the postponement in extremis of the poll, many called for the resignation of the president of the electoral commission. For the lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana, this is not a solution.

" As it stands, it could even complicate the problem. Whoever would take over the management of the INEC, he would say he needs extra time to organize a good election. This is not an option. These perpetual postponements indicate that deep electoral reforms are needed, he explains. They have been recommended by three successive government reports. Including by the Buhari administration. "

In view of these repeated postponements, SERAP, a large group of NGOs has announced that it wants to sue the authorities once the vote is over.

Since the postponement, the country lives in slow motion

The postponement of a week of general elections in Nigeria has plunged the country into uncertainty. Many voters had to travel from afar to join their constituencies. Several companies had closed, by prevention, because of the poll and have not reopened since. For a week, the country has been slow, especially in the economic capital, Lagos.

It's a big loss. The little money I have, I spend it here, staying at home. I decided to stay at least a month to be with my family. Because if there is violence, I would be there to protect them.

[Reportage] Nigeria lives in slow motion

19-02-2019 - By Bineta Diagne

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