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Nigeria's election delay sparks tension as top parties agree to continue campaigning

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the resumption of political campaigning in the lead-up to new election date set for 23 February. But while campaigning does not go against the electoral regulations, one wonders if this move doesn’t open up Pandora’s box as the tit-for-tat fighting between the two main parties escalates following the delay on 16 February.

Atiku Abubakar and Muhammadu Buhari shake hands
Atiku Abubakar and Muhammadu Buhari shake hands RFI Hausa
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Right from the announcement of the postponement on 16 February, the top political parties in Nigeria, ruling party the All Progressive's Congress (APC) and its main contender the People's Democratic Party (PDP), lashed out at each other.

The PDP had accused both the APC and INEC of colluding to derail the elections after the announcement to postpone elections was made in the early hours of election day last Saturday.

APC also issued an official statement accusing the PDP of purposely trying to sabotage the voting, an allegation that was tweeted by its director of strategic campaign communication Festus Keyamo.

In a tweet Keyamo said the ACP was “truly worried because as early as Friday morning, some known PDP Social Media influencers unwittingly announced this postponement, but quickly deleted the message and apologized to the public that it was fake news.“

Both the APC's incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari, and the PDP with its candidate Atiku Abubakar, are the top two contenders for president, in a field full of 72 other hopefuls.

By Monday, both parties had confirmed their intention to relaunch their political campaigns.

APC's strategy

The ruling party came out on Monday to clarify its position and to discourage any sort of electoral misconduct.

"Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or use thugs to disturb it,  maybe this will be the last unlawful action he will take" said President Buhari, adding " I have really given the military and the police orders to be ruthless." He stressed that the APC would not be blamed for rigging the elections.

There was outcry at Buhari's comment which alluded to authorizing violent means to stop potential vote riggers.

Speaking to RFI just after the meeting, the APC’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, clarified that “the President was just reinforcing the fact that if you are out there snatching boxes - ballot boxes - or causing disruptions, whatever you are at risk of your own life!"

He added that "no president would give an order that a sole citizen should be shot summarily." Tinubu noted that emotions are running high in this election.

The national leader added that those were not Buhari's words because "he is a law-abiding president".

A new hashtag has since emerged on social media poking fun at the notion of risking your life to snatch a box: #snatchatyourownrisk.

Condoning violence

The PDP also held a meeting later on Monday, reacting to Buhari's statement as a "call for extra-judicial killings."

“These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become victim of a full blown dictatorship,” said Yakubu Dogara, the PDP speaker of the House of Representatives, adding that the president’s statement was a “clear violation of the laws of the land.”

The party’s concern stemmed from Buhari asking the military and police to shoot election riggers, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP national publicity secretary told RFI at PDP headquarters in Abuja. 

PDP Speaker Dogara also dismissed earlier allegations from the ruling party that it had early knowledge of the election postponement.

Campaigning continues

Despite accusations from the two main parties that the other is colluding with the electoral commission, both have agreed to relaunch their political campaigns, despite INEC's intial response that campaigning would remain closed.

All parties are within their rights to continue campaigning, Idayat Hassan, the Abuja-based director of the Centre of Democracy and Development told RFI.

"The electoral act provides that campaigning ends 24 hours [before] elections, so the campaign continues immediately; there are no two ways about it. They can legally continue on with their campaign.”explained Hassan.

INEC issued a statement late Monday evening announcing that it will allow all parties to campaign until midnight, Thursday 21 February.

The electoral commission is due to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss how sensitive electoral material will be delivered to polling stations on time, to avoid another logistical delay.

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