Nigeria Elections Have Been Peaceful And Orderly - Ex-Prez Kufuor

Former Ghana leader John Agyekum Kufuor has described the just-ended Nigeria elections as “quite peaceful and orderly”.
Elections began on Saturday, March 28 but were extended to Sunday for centers that encountered technical challenges.

Results are expected within 48 hours after closure of polls on Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

Speaking to TV3’s Komla Klutse in an exclusive interview in Abuja on Sunday, Ghana’s former president, who heads a 250-member observer mission of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), said Nigerians have displayed a great deal of patience given the delays that rocked some centers.

“…and [they are] showing a determination to use their franchise to determine their national leadership,” Ex-President Kufuor observed.

The election is a two-horse race between incumbent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former military ruler General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Kufuor said the sub-regional bloc deployed observers to five of the six electoral areas of Nigeria.

“The sixth zone is the north-east corner of the country where Boko Haram has held sway for quite sometime till recently,” he said, “and because of the security considerations, Ecowas did not think observers should be exposed to the dangers there.”

But he pointed out that the bloc has representation of some sort there.

The first results of the elections are expected Sunday evening, INEC boss Attahiru Jega announced on Sunday.