Nigerian president vows no more vote delays
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan says there would be no further postponement of Nigeria’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
The president made the remarks during a meeting with a number of foreign envoys in Abuja on Saturday.
"We will surely conduct elections as scheduled. We promise you. Communicate this to your homes that elections will be conducted as scheduled..., there will be an inauguration of a president of this country," media outlets quoted Jonathan as saying.
The remakes come as Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission has shifted elections from February 14 to March 28.
The vote was delayed primarily because of recent mounting attacks by the Boko Haram Takfiri militants in the troubled northeastern Nigeria.
The administration of President Jonathan has come under criticism at home and abroad for its failure to hold the elections on time.
The president has defended the extension, saying it would give the security forces and law enforcement agencies time "to clean up" the three worst-hit states, namely Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Jonathan also expressed confidence that Nigerian security forces would soon flush out militants and completely wipe out their bases across Adamawa and Yobe states.
"If at all they cannot clean up the three states, at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments recovered even from the remaining state. So that at least elections could be conducted," Jonathan stated, adding, "And even in Borno state, the headquarters of Boko Haram, even if we don't take over completely, at least 70 percent of that state should be free for elections to be conducted."
The developments come as a joint major offensive with warplanes and ground forces from Chad and Nigeria has already forced the militants out of a dozen Nigerian towns and cities.
The escalating terror by the Takfiri militants has killed at least 13,000 people and left more than a million others homeless since 2009.
JR/AS/MHB
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