Delayed vote raises Nigeria stability risks

Significance

Presidential and parliamentary elections have been rescheduled for March 28, with state and governorship elections due on April 11. Attahiru Jega, the head of the INEC, said that while the commission was fully prepared to conduct the election, last minute warnings from the security and intelligence chiefs stated that electoral security could not be guaranteed given the demand on troops needed to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east. While constitutional provisions allow for this short-term extension, the reason given for the postponement opens up the prospect for further delay.

Impacts

• A severely flawed electoral process will have a knock-on effect on broader perceptions about Africa's democracy trends.
• Across the region, the outward appearance of democracy through holding elections rarely indicates free opposition participation.
• Regional Islamist militancy challenges will continue to be associated with reducing political space, from Chad to Kenya.