Welcome to 234Digest: an independent, nonpartisan, reader-focused newsletter that informs you in less time with fact-based news, features and insights about Nigeria. In this Thursday edition, we’re looking at the postponement of Nigeria’s governorship elections, matters arising from previous vote and much more.

One top headline

Nigeria’s electoral body postpones election of state governors

Nigeria's electoral commission postponed state governorship elections due to hold this Saturday by one week, citing more time to reconfigure electronic machines used during last month's disputed presidential vote.

The elections will now hold on March 18.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it needed more time to reconfigure its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) that uses fingerprints and facial recognition to identify voters and transmits results from polling units.

The same BVAS machines at the center of legal disputes were used during last month's presidential vote in which Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress party was declared winner. But the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party rejected the outcome, citing wide spread technical glitches, delays in voting and tampering of results.

On Wednesday, a court dismissed an opposition demand to halt the reconfiguring of BVAS so their teams could check for forensic evidence of vote rigging.

INEC said in a statement the court process had delayed its preparations for the Saturday vote for state governors. "While the ruling of the tribunal makes it possible for the commission to commence the preparation of the BVAS for the governorship and state assembly elections, it has come far too late for the reconfiguration," it said.

Long stories short

Nigeria bus crashes into train

Six people were killed and dozens injured when a train crashed into a passenger bus in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos on Thursday. The bus was taking government staff to work when it collided with the intra-city train in the Ikeja area of Lagos.

Islamist militants kill 25 in northeast Borno state

Islamist militants have killed at least 25 people in an attack in Dikwa — a fishing town in Nigeria's north eastern Borno state. Police commissioner Abdu Umar linked the Wednesday attack to Boko Haram insurgents, Reuters reported.

Nigeria revokes work permit of Seplat CEO

Nigeria’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has revoked the Work Permit, Visa and Residence Permit of the CEO of Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown. It cited allegations of racism, favoring of foreign workers and discrimination against Nigerian employees levelled against him by employees of the company, according to reports by local media.

Heineken Nigeria records worst February in 15 years over cash crunch

Sales at the Nigerian unit of Heineken NV suffered its worst hit in 15 years after the central bank currency redesign policy left residents struggling with cash shortages. Nigerian Breweries Plc, the local unit of the world’s second-largest brewer, depends on cash for about 80% of its retail sales, Bloomberg reported, adding analysts may cut earnings estimate because of the cash crunch.

Woman on Italy’s most wanted list extradited from Nigeria

Jeff Joy, a Nigerian mafia leader described as one of the few women on Italy's 100 most wanted criminal list, has been extradited to Italy. Joy, 48, was sentenced in 2010 to 13 years in jail in Italy for criminal conspiracy, slavery, people trafficking and living off the proceeds of prostitution, Italian news agency ANSA reported. .

Commentary

Nigeria’s vote signals risk: How its partners can support democracy

USIP: Nigeria’s electoral commission is working to fix problems in a vote management system that failed to transparently process and report a result on February 25. (Read)

Self-organizing Nigeria: The antifragile state

Brookings: Since attaining independence in 1960, the country has at many junctures staggered close to dangerous precipices—but fortunately, it has never reached the tipping point. (Read)

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