A man reads a copy of a newspaper which managed to print the news of the postponement in time, in the morning at a newspaper stand in Kano, northern Nigeria Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. Nigeria's electoral commission delayed the presidential election until Feb. 23, making the announcement a mere five hours before polls were set to open Saturday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday postponed the presidential and national assembly elections
FILE: Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu showing a specimen ballot paper for Ekiti governorship election during the INEC quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, in Abuja on Wednesday (4/6/18). 03573/4/6/2018/Hogan Bassey/NAN
The announcement by INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja came hours before Nigerians were slated to head to the polling units.
A police officer keeps guard over electoral materials still stacked in boxes at the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Kano, in northern Nigeria Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. Nigeria’s electoral commission delayed the presidential election until Feb. 23, making the announcement a mere five hours before polls were set to open Saturday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
The announcement was made at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday.
Nigerian presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of the People’s Democratic Party, speaks to journalists after the presidential election was delayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, at his residence in Yola, Nigeria Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. A civic group monitoring Nigeria’s now-delayed election says the last-minute decision to postpone the vote a week until Feb. 23 “has created needless tension and confusion in the country.” (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
It came hours after it was reported that logistics challenges in some parts of the country may force the commission to move the elections.
The new dates for the elections are February 23 for presidential and national assembly elections and March 9 for governorship and state assemblies elections.
Mr Yakubu said further details of the postponement would be disclosed at a conference scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday.
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