Elections in Nigeria
By Iyiola Adebayo
Nigerians will attempt to cast their votes to elect a new set of leaders on February 23, 2019.
The election comes after a postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, at the eleventh-hour, last week. The postponement was due to unspecified challenges, and reports that materials like ballot papers and tally sheets had not all been distributed.
Nigeria has nearly 200 million inhabitants; it is Africa’s most populous country, the largest economy, and the most important oil producer on the continent.
The election is coming against the backdrop of daunting security challenges that have questioned the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Earlier this month, Amnesty International confirmed that January’s attack in Rann, a border town in northeast Nigeria, was the nation’s deadliest attack by the Boko Haram sect.
60 people were murdered in the attack and the town is destroyed after a mass burning of homes and buildings.
Harvard International Review attributes the lack of security in Nigeria to, “poor governance and lack of effectiveleadership at all levels of government.”
But the question remains, will a change in leadership be enough for the people of Nigeria?
