Nigerian banks close early for the Presidential elections

Posted by Felix Okoli on Friday March 27, 2015 at 10:15:29:

Nigeria's Presidential elections are coming up on Saturday and already banks across Nigeria are sending messages of early closure to their customers of their plan to close early prior to the D-Day.

Many Nigerians have received email and sms alerts from their bank informing them that they will close early for business on Friday while Saturday banking will not even be available a a result of the Presidential elections coming up on Saturday March 28th 2015.

This is one of the closest Presidential elections in Nigeria's history as it's between a popular retired army general Buhari and a sitting civilian president from the oil rich Niger Delta named Goodluck Jonathan who is equally popular.

Mohammed Buhari is more popular among voters in Nigeria's north which is mostly Muslim while Jonathan Goodluck is popular among southerners who are mostly Christians.

Nigerians are mostly divided along ethnic and religious lines and there is also a fast growing opposition party called the APC which is bent on taking power from a sitting government and party that has been in power for about 16 years.

Nigeria's 3 major ethnic groups are divided also as to who to vote for during this election. The Hausa people are seen to be more likely to vote for Buhari, the Igbos are more likely to vote for Jonathan while the Yorubas are divided between the 2 candidates given the level of campaigning going on to win the South West by the parties.

It's expected to be a very close and sensitive election which may also lead to violence if a political party or tribe feels they were shortchanged or cheated at the polls.

Banks have chosen to close early with the hope of resuming on Monday assuming it doesn't turn out violently.