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Polls have shut in Nigeria, after tens of millions cast their votes to decide a tight and unpredictable contest for the presidency and parliament of Africa’s most populous nation and its biggest economy.
The opening of more than half of all polling stations was delayed by at least an hour with many others suffering problems with new voting technology, civil society groups said. There was some sporadic violence across the country, including a suspected attack by Islamic extremists and some disruption by hired thugs.
Fears of widespread chaos appeared unfounded as night fell, however. An official announcement of results could take between three and five days, but it is probable that the winner of the presidency will be obvious much sooner as the count of individual polling stations becomes known.
In the commercial capital, Lagos, large numbers of voters waited cheerfully for much of the morning for election officials to arrive, often two or even three hours late.Nigerians are voting to decide a tight and unpredictable contest for the presidency and parliament of Africa’s most populous nation and its biggest economy.
The polls appeared to be largely peaceful, though the opening of more than half of all polling stations was delayed by at least an hour with many others suffering problems with new voting technology, civil society groups said.
In the commercial capital, Lagos, large numbers of voters waited cheerfully for much of the morning for election officials to arrive, often two or even three hours late.
“I am very excited. I have been looking forward to exercising my civil rights. I am looking for a better Nigeria,” said Victoria Adeyemo, a 65-year-old lawyer, as she sat waiting for a voting station in upmarket area of Ikoyi to open.
In the poor and crowded neighbourhood of Mushin, electoral officials and party agents said polls had opened on time to welcome a rush of voters.
Nigerians are voting to elect a successor to president Muhammadu Buhari, with many hoping the next leader will steer Africa’s most populous nation and biggest economy on a new course after years of worsening violence and hardship.
Polling stations were scheduled to open at 7.30am Irish time, though reporters at several locations across the country saw some that were not ready. In northern Kano State and southern Bayelsa State, reporters saw queues of voters with no election officials in sight.
“We are still waiting on them as you can see. I’m here and everyone else is here. So I’m eager to vote, to cast my vote, to perform my constitutional right,” said Daniel Kessy, who was among those waiting to vote in the city of Kano.
The main candidates in the most wide open contest since Nigeria switched from army rule to democracy in 1999 are two political veterans from the two main parties and a candidate from a minor party who opinion polls suggest has a chance thanks to support from young voters.
[ Nigerian elections: More than 90 million voters expected to turn out for polls ]
Mr Buhari, a retired army general, is stepping down after serving the maximum eight years allowed by the constitution but failing to deliver on his pledge to bring back order and security across Nigeria, Africa’s top oil-producing nation.
More than 93 million people are registered to vote for the next president and members of the National Assembly.
Some 176,600 polling stations were scheduled to be open between 7.30am and 1.30pm Irish time. In past Nigerian elections, voters in some areas have complained that polling stations opened hours late or did not materialise at all.
Vote-counting will begin as soon as polls close and results will be posted outside polling stations. The final tally from the 36 states and federal capital Abuja is expected within five days of voting.
The run-up to the vote has been marred by violence, a pattern seen in previous Nigerian elections, with the killing of a senatorial candidate in the volatile southeast region on Wednesday the latest in a series of serious incidents.
The election comes as Nigerians are struggling to cope with a shortage of cash caused by a botched plan to swap old bank notes for new ones that has wreaked havoc on people’s daily lives and led to scenes of violence at banks and cash machines.
The new president will also have to grapple with problems ranging from high inflation, deep poverty and energy shortages, to an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, industrial-scale oil theft in the south and rampant crime everywhere.
For the election, land borders were closed, soldiers were patrolling the streets in several states and movements were restricted in an effort by the authorities to boost security.
The main contenders in the race to succeed Mr Buhari are former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu (70) of the ruling All Progressives Congress, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar (76) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi (61) of the smaller Labour Party.
Mr Tinubu and Atiku, as he is known in Nigeria, are both political heavyweights with decades of networking behind them and bulging campaign coffers. Both Muslims, Tinubu is an ethnic Yoruba from the southwest and Atiku is a Fulani from the northeast.
Mr Obi, a Christian from the Igbo ethnic group, has less of a political machine behind him but has used a slick social media campaign to generate huge enthusiasm among young voters, with some even calling themselves the “Obidients”.
Reporters in southeastern Anambra State said the polling station where Mr Obi was due to vote later was ready on time.
Nigeria has a long history of electoral fraud and violence, though its polls have been getting gradually cleaner in recent cycles. The presidential candidates and parties pledged on Wednesday to support a peaceful and transparent process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has introduced new technology and procedures to ensure this election is free and fair, such as a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) that will identify voters using biometric data.
INEC says mobile phones are not permitted in voting booths because in the past people have used them to take photos of their ticked ballot papers to show to candidates who have offered to pay for their votes.
Despite such precautions, analysts have warned there were still risks from the dearth of cash, which could make hard-pressed citizens vulnerable to vote-buying by candidates, and a shortage of fuel that could make it hard for INEC to deploy staff and equipment to all areas. – Reuters/Guardian
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