Agence France Presse journalist, Perdigo Jordi, an accredited foreign journalist covering the 2019 spoke with us about his journey to Nigeria:
Is this the first time you are covering an election in Nigeria?
Yes, it is. It is my first time in Nigeria. But I am here to cover the elections, not to talk about the country.
What is your impression?
So far, so good.
From what you’ve seen and read in local media, how would you rate the competitiveness of the elections?
It is too much. One sign for me is the public holiday that was declared. I mean, it is just an election. You should take it easy. In Spain where I am from, there is no holiday. In Africa, I have covered elections in Liberia and Ghana. I have also covered elections in Finland and Spain.
Were you surprised by the postponement of the election?
Totally. We weren’t expecting it. We were hearing things the day before. We said they were just rumours. We just went to bed. When I woke up in the morning, the election had been postponed. I guess they (INEC) have their own reason for doing it. But what they did is fine, since it is in the interest of the country.
Have you had any difficulties in covering the elections?
No, it has been easy. The most difficult part was getting a visa. I am based in Ghana, so that is where I got the visa from. I have had no concerns with security.
Are you going anywhere else other than Abuja?
I was in Lagos last week. Lagos is crazy. Abuja is relaxed. It is like Ghana. But I have colleagues in other parts of the country.
