{"id":78524,"date":"2019-02-15T07:30:01","date_gmt":"2019-02-15T12:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=78524"},"modified":"2019-02-15T06:20:36","modified_gmt":"2019-02-15T11:20:36","slug":"nyt-its-not-getting-better-nigeria-braces-for-election-day-as-frustrations-boil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=78524","title":{"rendered":"(NYT) \u2018It\u2019s Not Getting Better\u2019: Nigeria Braces for Election Day as Frustrations Boil"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nigeria is bracing for what could be a tight election<\/a> this weekend. Threats of violence loom.<\/p>\n

In the northeast of the country on Tuesday, a convoy heading to an election event and carrying Kashim Shettima, a state governor, was attacked by Boko Haram, an extremist Islamist group which operates in the region. At least three people were killed, officials said. Many of the governor\u2019s entourage fled into the bush after militants dressed as soldiers and riding in stolen military vehicles attacked, local news media reported.<\/p>\n

The incident drew attention to another of Mr. Buhari\u2019s 2015 pledges: to destroy Boko Haram. Far from being crushed, Boko Haram has recently been gaining strength.<\/p>\n

In the south, militants in the oil-rich Delta<\/a> threatened to disrupt the economy, presumably by blowing up pipelines, if Mr. Buhari were re-elected. At a rally for the president in Rivers State this week, at least four people were killed in a stampede. Election officials reported fires in several sites where ballot materials were being stored.<\/p>\n

Tensions have been so high that after the American ambassador to Nigeria called on both campaigns to carry out fair elections, Mr. Buhari\u2019s party called his statements \u201cimplicit attacks against the government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Buhari and Mr. Abubakar, who each have pledged to accept the election results peacefully, wrapped up final appearances this week at rallies across the country, where thousands turned out wearing dresses, rings, hats and scarves plastered with their candidates\u2019 photos.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, who is running for re-election, was out of public sight for so long \u2014 and rumors of his death grew so loud \u2014 that he had to publicly deny rumors he had been replaced by a clone.https:\/\/t.co\/EBd9LRgxdK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The New York Times (@nytimes) February 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n