Dozens of couples count losses after the Nigerian elections are postponed

Several Nigerian couples who were set to get married on Saturday, February 23, 2019, are counting loses after their wedding date clashed with the new date of the Nigerian elections.

The Nigerian election was initially scheduled for February 16, 2019, but just 5 hours before the opening of the polls, the electoral commission called it off citing logistical problems.

According to officials at the Federal Marriage Registry in Lagos, several couples have already called in to reschedule which has caused major administrative issues. It is still unclear whether all the 50 weddings that had been slated for February 23rd will proceed as planned because of roadblocks which are usually erected on the day of the polls.

Jude Ezeanyagu and his fiancé are one of those who have been affected by the postponement of the elections. The couple had been planning for their wedding for two years and they checked the election timetable before settling for February 23rd as their wedding date.

Jude told AFP that they have already spent approximately 280,000 shillings on the wedding preparations. Moreover, guests may not be available to attend on the re-scheduled wedding date.

“It is just a very big loss,” Jude lamented.

Nigerian restaurants where the weddings were supposed to take place are also going to feel the impact. For instance, a hotel in the South Eastern city of Calabar had to refund a couple approximately 70,000 shillings due to the change in election date.