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Parliamentary Elections Postponed in Parts of Nigeria

      April 02, 2011
   Voters queue to register during parliamentary elections in Kano,
   northern Nigeria, April 1, 2011

Photo: Reuters

   Voters queue to register during parliamentary elections in Kano,
   northern Nigeria, April 1, 2011

   Saturday's parliamentary elections were postponed in Nigeria's capital
   Abuja and several other jurisdicitions, with officials blaming
   organizational problems including the lack of voting materials.
   An electoral commission spokesman said Saturday, just hours after
   polling stations opened in other parts of the country, that voters
   would be notified of the new polling date in areas where the elections
   were not held as scheduled.
   Nigeria's election chairman, Attahiru Jega, had said Friday the April
   elections would give Nigeria the chance to "get it right" after
   violence and fraud marred the last polls in 2007.
   Nigeria's electoral commission had pledged to make this year's polls
   free and fair, and introduced new voting procedures designed to prevent
   cheating and maintain order.
   The parliamentary election is to be followed by a presidential vote on
   April 9. President Goodluck Jonathan is facing a field of challengers
   led by former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. A third round of polls
   for state governor posts follows on April 16.
   Nigeria has seen sporadic violence in the run-up to the polls,
   especially in the north of the country. It is not clear whether all the
   violence is politically motivated.
   Africa's most populous country shut its land borders and increased
   security ahead of Saturday's vote. The Nigerian government ordered the
   borders to close from noon on Friday until 6 a.m. on Sunday.
   Authorities also will restrict the movement of vehicles while voters
   cast ballots.
   Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party is hoping to retain its hold
   on the presidency and parliament.
   Mr. Jonathan is seeking his first full term after rising to power last
   year following the death of predecessor Umaru Yar'Adua. His run was
   opposed by some PDP members who accuse him of breaking an informal rule
   to rotate the presidential nomination between Muslims from the north
   and Christians from the south.
   Mr. Jonathan is a Christian, while Mr. Yar'Adua was a Muslim. President
   Yar'Adua died just three years into what was expected to be a two-term,
   eight-year presidency.
   Nigeria's population of 140 million - the largest in Africa - is split
   roughly evenly between Muslims and Christians.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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