A Nigerian presidential candidate died on Thursday, local radio and television stations reported, casting doubt over whether landmark elections will be held as scheduled next month.
Adebayo Adefarati (76), candidate of the opposition Alliance for Democracy (AD), died in the south-western state of Ondo, private radio Ray Power FM reported. The station said Adefarati, who was diabetic, died in hospital.
Nigeria’s Electoral Act stipulates that elections can be postponed if a candidate dies after the deadline for substituting candidates passes, which is the case now.
Spokesperson for the AD and for the electoral body were not immediately available to comment. It was not immediately clear if the AD would request a postponement of the elections.
Nigerians are due to elect their president, state governors and state and national legislators in polls that should mark the first fully democratic transition in Africa’s most populous country.
The gubernatorial and state assembly elections are scheduled for April 14 while the presidential and National Assembly polls are due to be held on April 21. — Reuters