DHAKA: Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan said he underestimated Boko Haram Islamists who have overrun swathes of the country’s northeast and defended an election postponement in an interview published Sunday.

Jonathan, facing a tight re-election bid against ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, has faced criticism over the vote delay, which critics argue was designed to give him time to shore up his campaign.

The military pushed for the six-week delay eventually granted by the electoral commission to allow it to secure the country for the vote, though Boko Haram’s insurgency has raged for six years.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are now set for March 28, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 2134 HRS, FEB 22, 2015