Observers of the Nigerian presidential elections are giving mixed assessments of the process while Nigeria is still in the process of counting its votes.
The African Union said the “overall political climate remained largely peaceful and conducive for the conducting of credible elections”. They however criticized the elections for having poor preparation and called for calm until final results.
The final results could be announced as early as Monday as President Muhammadu Buhari seeks a second term in Africa’s most populous country. The country is waiting tensely!
A nationwide civil society platform of observers issued a more critical statement citing “major logistic lapses” including widespread delays and “disappointing” conduct by political parties. It called this election a step back from the one in 2015, seen as one of Nigeria’s most transparent and efficient.
Whoever becomes the next leader of Africa’s most populous country and leading oil producer faces a daunting to-do list, from tackling widespread insecurity and endemic corruption to boosting an economy recovering from months of recession.