Nigeria voted on Sunday in municipal and regional elections. Almost 7.5 million voters were expected to vote in the 266 municipalities in the country.
This vote serves as a test balloon before the December 27 election. Although observers in civil society did not receive its accreditation for this vote, the organization Turning the Page had asked almost 200 volunteers across the country to stay in the polls to follow the election.
Maïkoul Zodi, coordinator of Turning the page, makes a mixed initial assessment: “The atmosphere was there, there are people. There is enthusiasm around the polls. People want to vote. But still we noticed a logistical problem that arose at the CENI level. The material did not arrive on time. Polling stations opened late everywhere. In the case of Diffa, it was a Boko Haram attack. There are about fifteen polling stations that could not be opened. Almost everywhere in areas where there is uncertainty, such as Tillabéri, there are some polling stations that have not yet been opened. In the Tahoua region, in two municipalities, the equipment has not even left the department’s capital. Local elections people manage to control them. We may think we have credible choices, but now the problem with data reporting. Credibility will be assessed after the results have been transferred. ”
“It’s a bet that Céni has won”
An opinion not shared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Céni), for which the vote was generally successful. Almost 234 of 266 municipalities were able to vote on Sunday. For the 32 remaining municipalities, the vote will take place on Monday, explains Ceni’s general rapporteur, Wada Nafiou.
“I think it’s a bet that Ceni has won. Despite the security issues, despite the Covid issue, we are at our level really a satisfactory record. The 32 municipalities we broke up with, the vote will take place on Monday, Inch’Allah. Overall, the deadline is satisfactory. This is a coverage rate of 85.12%. These are complicated elections, as there are three ballot boxes at the same polling station. So you see the logistics required to secure the clothes at the same time, the same day. So it is perfectly normal that there are delays here and there, but that will not impair the regularity of the vote, “said Wada Nafiou.
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