Junta-ruled Niger to hold presidential election for Jan. 3

Niger presidential vote set for Jan. 3

NIAMEY, Niger — Niger’s electoral commission says presidential elections to restore civilian rule after this year’s military coup will be held Jan. 3.

Electoral commission chief Gousmane Adourahmane said Sunday that if no candidate wins a majority of votes in the first round, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held Jan. 14.

Junta spokesman Col. Goukoye Abdoulkarim had said in May the vote would be held by Dec. 26, but electoral officials say they needed more time to prepare.

The military junta ousted the country’s dictatorial and unpopular president, Mamadou Tandja, in February after he refused to step down when his mandate expired last year. Tandja remains under house arrest.