Five Reasons Why Jonathan Lost
Nigerians are so used to the idea that an incumbent should win presidential elections that President Goodluck Jonathan's failure to beat Gen Muhammadu Buhari needs some explaining. Here are five reasons why the opposition won: 1: Harder to rig Past elections have been marred by serious irregularities and suspicions of rigging. In 2007 observers said the presidential poll was not "credible". In 2011 the vote was considered to be better run but observers said that rigging and fraud still took place. This time the electoral commission took more steps to prevent rigging, including new biometric voters cards. Also President Jonathan's party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), had lost control of some key states which meant it could not control the electoral process there. 2: Boko Haram and army has made some recent gains against Boko Haram, but not enough to convince Nigerians The election took place against the background of an Islamist insurgency in the north-...