TVC NEWS (NIAMEY) – Niger began voting in an election on Sunday (February 21) in which President Mahamadou Issoufou is running for a second term with a promise to crush Islamist militants and develop the economy in one of the poorest countries in the world.
The incumbent leader faces 14 candidates including Seyni Oumaru, leader of an opposition coalition. Critics say Issoufou used repression ahead of the vote, including arresting opposition supporters and jailing opposition leader Hama Amadou over charges related to a baby-trafficking ring.
Issoufou’s government says it respects the law and calls the charges politically motivated.
Polls were due to open at 8 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) but voting started slowly, with election officials laying out material at polling stations as people arrived to cast their ballots.
“I have been here since 8:30 this morning, but the polling stations were not yet open. As you can see, they’re only now just opening,” said voter Salamatou Saley Souley.
Another female voter, Seyni Fati, said she felt it was important to vote and fulfil her role as a citizen.
Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which is based in neighbouring Nigeria, has staged a series of attacks in recent months, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency in the southeastern region of Diffa.
