20110318
reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's electoral commission on Friday rejected opposition calls to alter the date for presidential elections because the timetable favours the ruling party, saying time was too short for any such change.

Africa's most populous nation is due to hold parliamentary elections on April 2, followed by the presidential vote on April 9, with voters electing governors in the country's 36 states to round off the process on April 16.

Opposition parties went to court requesting the presidential poll be held last, saying any other order put pressure on voters to support the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan.

The PDP has won every election since the end of military rule in 1999 and Jonathan is the front runner.

With local elections after the presidential vote, opponents are concerned that if Jonathan wins, voters will be more inclined to support the winning team and back PDP state governors, who currently run the majority of the states.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Friday there would be no change in the timetable and it was confident the constitution would support its decision.

"The order of elections remains as announced. The time is too short to alter the sequence of elections," said Kayode Idowu, INEC spokesman.

"It is like a moving train, it cannot suddenly be brought to a stop because you see something by the rail. The Nigeria constitution ... empowers the independent national electoral commission to determine the date of the various elections."