20110402
Reuters
The Nigerian electoral commission authorities say they have decided to put off the nationwide elections because of organizational and logistic problems.

The decision was made after voting material failed to arrive in many areas and the poll was rescheduled for Monday.

"In order to maintain the integrity of the elections and retain effective overall control of the process, the commission has taken the very difficult but necessary decision to postpone the national assembly elections to Monday, April 4, 2011," Nigeria's Election Chief Attahiru Jega told reporters on Saturday

Jega also says this is an important move to ensure the credibility of the polls.

"There was nothing we could do to prevent this from happening,'' Jega added.

Nigerians were to vote in legislative, presidential and state polls over three weekends.

Officials have been urged to prevent election-related violence.

At least 20 people have reportedly lost their lives in pre-election clashes over the past two weeks.

Experts say Saturday's election was the true test for Nigeria's electoral commission to prove it could overcome the nation's history of flawed polls.