Oil makes up 70 percent of government revenue, according to Nigeria’s finance minister, but with the price of a barrel now below $50, Ngwodo expects Nigeria’s state and federal governments will have to tighten their belts substantially.
“Whichever government does come in will have to implement austerity. In several states across the country, we’re likely to see massive job cuts” and perhaps even a reduction in the national minimum wage, he said.
For many, issues aren’t always the deciding factor in Nigeria’s elections, Kari said.
“I don’t think the politicians in Nigeria’s elections are voted on the basis of promises,” he said. “It’s where you come from, your faith, your ethnic group, your religious group and so on and so forth. Concrete issues play insignificant roles.”
The government has set high expectations for its performance over the next six weeks. But some Nigerians just want to get it over with.
“I wanted them to come, the election, so that this thing will come and pass,” said Juliet Jevizu, a phone credit seller who plans to vote for Jonathan.
Her colleague Barnabas Ayatu said he doesn’t know who will get his vote. But he can’t anyway: He lost his voter’s card, and whenever he has gone back to his hometown to get a new one, elections authorities turned him away, saying they didn’t have electricity to make him a card.
Article Appeared @http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/11/nigerias-election-extension-met-with-relief-exasperation.html