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Death threatens Nigerian election Nigeria death fails to halt poll
(about 3 hours later)
Nigeria's presidential election on 21 April could be postponed after the death of a candidate. The sudden death of an opposition candidate will not delay a presidential poll due to take place on April 21, Nigeria's electoral commission says.
The Alliance for Democracy's Adebayo Adeferati - seen as an outside - was 79 years old and a former state governor. "It will not affect the elections," Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) spokesman Segun Adeogun told Reuters news agency.
According to Nigeria's electoral act, elections are to be delayed "until a convenient date" if a candidate dies after nomination papers are delivered. Mr Adeogun says the Alliance for Democracy will be allowed to replace Adebayo Adefarati, who died Thursday.
However, a spokesman for the election commission is being quoted as saying the polls will go ahead as scheduled. Mr Adefarati, 79, seen as an outsider in the race, died in a hospital.
"It will not affect the elections," Inec spokesman Segun Adeogun told Reuters news agency. According to Nigeria's electoral act, elections are to be delayed until "convenient date" if a candidate dies after nomination papers are delivered.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, who steps down after two terms, paid tribute to Mr Adeferati at a campaign rally, saying: "He would have been a worthy opponent." "Unless someone is up to some mischief, the death of Adefarati should not affect the polls," Hamisu Shira, chair of Nigeria's House of Representatives committee on electoral matters told the BBC News website.
Mr Adeferati had been receiving treatment in hospital in Ondo State in south-west Nigeria. "All the Alliance for Democracy is required to do is simply present another presidential candidate to INEC."
He was governor there from 1999 to 2003, but lost a re-election bid in the April 2003 elections. President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is stepping down after two terms, paid tribute to Mr Adeferati at a campaign rally, saying: "He would have been a worthy opponent."
Mr Adeferati was governor of south-west Ondo State from 1999 to 2003, but lost a re-election bid in the April 2003 elections.
He was then nominated by his party as presidential candidate for Nigeria's forthcoming elections.He was then nominated by his party as presidential candidate for Nigeria's forthcoming elections.
Section 37 (1) of Nigeria's Electoral Act 2006 states that: "If after the time for the delivery of nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or the Resident Electoral Commissioner shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the Commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election."
The ruling party suspended their ongoing presidential campaign rally in the centre of the capital, Abuja, to observe a minute's silence.The ruling party suspended their ongoing presidential campaign rally in the centre of the capital, Abuja, to observe a minute's silence.