Tag: Nigerian Politics

Nigeria votes for a new president after delay

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Nigerians voted for a new president on Saturday after a week-long postponement that has raised political tempers, sparked conspiracy claims and stoked fears of violence. Delays in the delivery of some materials and deployment of staff force to the nearly 120,000 polling stations forced an extension to voting past a 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) cut-off.

Results are expected from early next week, with the winner gaining control of Africa’s most populous nation and leading oil producer for four years. President Muhammadu Buhari was one of the first to vote, and emerged from the polling booth in his home town of Daura, in the northwest state of Katsina, to say he was confident of victory.

“So far, so good,” he told reporters. “I will congratulate myself. I’m going to be the winner.” His main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, 72, voted in Yola, in the northeastern state of Adamawa Shortly before polls opened, one soldier was killed and 20 others injured as Boko Haramfighters tried to infiltrate the northeastern city of Maiduguri.

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