Nigeria's presidential election, which was due to be held on Saturday, has been postponed to February 23 in order to secure a free and fair election, said the country's electoral commission chairman just hours before the vote was due to take place.

"The commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible. Consequently, the commissioners decided to reschedule the presidential and national assembly elections to Saturday (23 February, 2019)," said Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The decision to delay this year's vote was criticized by the president's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

"Buhari cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring everything it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available," it said in a statement, adding that "this news is, therefore, a huge disappointment to us."

The chairman of the main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus said the move was an action that was "dangerous to our democracy and unacceptable," adding that it was part of an attempt by Buhari to "cling on to power even when it's obvious to him that Nigerians want him out." Prior to the announcement, there were statements commenting on concerns over the election.

‍President Muhammadu Buhari faces a tight election contest in Africa's largest economy, top oil producer and most populous nation against the main opposition candidate, businessman and former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.

Earlier, government source had said the election could be delayed due to difficulties in transporting electoral material in some areas.

An official of the INEC told Reuters that "some result sheets and some ballot papers are reportedly missing. We want to track every (piece of) sensitive material, take inventory of what we have and what is missing."

"A decision has been taken. We are going to address you soon," Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press secretary to the national chairman of INEC told reporters.

One Western diplomat also stated: "Sensitive material (ballot papers and results sheets) have been delayed in being distributed."

Nigeria is also dealing with pockets of instability. Throughout the day, authorities bolstered security in much of the country on the eve of the vote in Africa's largest democracy where past elections have been marred by violence, voter intimidation and ballot rigging.

Dozens of combat policemen and other security forces were deployed from police headquarters in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state on the country's northeast frontier that has been worst hit by Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State in West Africa Province.

(Cover: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari addresses his supporters during a campaign rally in Lagos, Nigeria, February 9, 2019. /VCG Photo)