(8 Feb 2015) Nigeria's electoral commission announced on Saturday the postponement of the country's presidential and legislative elections until March 28 because security forces fighting Islamic extremists cannot ensure voters' safety around the country.
Millions could be disenfranchised if voting originally scheduled for February 14 went ahead while Boko Haram extremists hold a large swath of the northeast and commit mayhem that has left 1.5 million people homeless.
Commission chairman Attahiru Jega told a news conference Saturday night that security forces need six weeks to conduct "a major operation" against Boko Haram and cannot also safeguard the elections.
"The life of innocent young men and women as well as prospects for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections would be greatly jeopardised," said Jega.
Officials in President Goodluck Jonathan's government have been calling for weeks for the postponement, saying the commission is not ready to hold what promises to be the most tightly contested presidential vote in the history of Africa's biggest democracy.
The United States has been urging Nigeria to press ahead with the voting.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Nigeria two weeks ago and said that "one of the best ways to fight back against Boko Haram" was by holding credible and peaceful elections, on time.
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