New York Times Blast Nigerian Government For Postponing Presidential Election

New York Times Blast Nigerian Government For Postponing Presidential Election according to the titled article "Nigeria's Miserable Choices"

The article read:

The Nigerian government was
supposed to hold presidential
elections this past weekend, which
presented voters with the dispiriting
choice of keeping a lousy incumbent or returning to power a former autocratic leader. Now they will have to wait at least six weeks to cast votes.

Any argument to delay the vote might be more credible if President Goodluck Jonathan's government had not spent much of the past year playing down the threat posed by the militants and if there were a reasonable expectation that the
country's weak military has the ability to improve security in a matter of weeks.

It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan
grew alarmed by the surging appeal
of Muhammadu Buhari, a former
military ruler who has vowed to
crack down on Boko Haram. By
dragging out the race, Mr. Jonathan
stands to deplete his rival's campaign coffers, while he continues to use state funds and institutions to bankroll his own.

That Mr. Buhari, who helped launch a coup against a democratically elected government in 1983 and ruled until late 1985, has emerged as potential winner is more of an indictment of Mr. Jonathan's
dismal rule than a recognition of the former military chief's appeal.

Nigerian voters have grown increasingly worried about the stunning rise of Boko Haram, which has committed terrorist atrocities including bombings.

The abductions and attacks by the group have exposed the weaknesses of Nigeria's armed forces and the dysfunction of the government.

Although Mr. Jonathan's government has in the past been
less than enthusiastic, and at times
obstructive, in response to offers of
American and European aid, he
appears to be growing increasingly
worried. In an interview with The
Wall Street Journal last week, he
said he would welcome American
troops to fight the insurgency.

Beyond security matters,entrenched
corruption and the government's
inability to diversify its economy as the price of oil, the country's financial bedrock, has fallen have also caused Nigerians to look for new leadership.

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, and a relatively young democracy,cannot afford an electoral crisis.That would only set back the faltering effort to reassert government control in districts where Boko Haram is
sowing terror. The security forces
may not be able to safeguard many
districts on Election Day. But postponement is very likely to make the security threat worse.