ABUJA, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigerian fuel suppliers have cut the price of petrol to encourage people to travel to vote in presidential elections this Saturday after the poll was delayed by a week, the information minister said.
The electoral commission announced the delay early last Saturday just Nigeria’s 84 million registered voters were preparing to head to the polls.
The election is now scheduled to take place this Saturday.
Both of the main parties have expressed concern that this would result in a reduced voter turnout, in part because people who were registered to vote in a different part of the country to where they live would be unable to afford to travel after a wasted trip last Saturday.
The poll is a contest between incumbent Pres Muhammadu Buhari and main opposition leader, former VP Atiku Abubakar.
Buhari is running on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC with Atiku Abubakar leading the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Buhari is seeking a second and final term in charge of Africa’s most populous nation and its largest economy. He came to power in 2015 becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent – at the time Goodluck Jonathan.
Over 84 million potential voters are expected to cast ballots across the 37 states with over 70 candidates on the ballot paper.
The election is the sixth in the 20 years since Nigeria returned to civilian rule after decades of military government and security has always been an issue. — NNN-AGENCIES
