UN's Ban Ki-moon concern over postponed Haiti poll

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Saturday and called for Haiti's presidential runoff election to be held "without delay" after it was postponed with no new date set.

It comes a day after the poll which had been scheduled for Sunday was indefinitely put back, the chairman of Haiti's Electoral Council (CEP) said, citing "obvious security concerns."

CEP chairman Pierre-Louis Opont complained that election officials had been attacked and several polling stations razed.

Opposition activists have consistently accused outgoing President Michel Martelly of rigging the vote in favor of his hand-picked successor Jovenel Moise, and their champion Jude Celestin is boycotting the poll.

Ban "strongly urges all stakeholders to work towards the peaceful completion of the electoral process without delay," said a statement from his spokesman.

Such completion would come "through the forging of a consensual solution that will allow the people of Haiti to exercise their right to vote for the election of a new president and the remaining representatives of the new parliament," he said.

"The secretary-general urges all political actors to reject all forms of violence and intimidation and refrain from any action that can further disrupt the democratic process and stability in the country."