The tightest presidential vote count in Nigeria since the end of military rule in 1999 is currently underway.
A large number of young, first-time voters showed up early to vote, indicating that turnout was high.
Long wait times at the polls, as well as sporadic instances of vote box snatching and armed man attacks, all hampered Saturday’s voting.
Furthermore, certain parties are concerned about claims of anomalies that could result in a contentious decision.
87 million people are eligible to vote, making the elections the largest democratic event in Africa.
With the return of multi-party democracy 24 years ago, the APC, which is currently in power, and the PDP, have controlled politics.
But this time, a third-party candidate who is supported by many young people, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, is mounting a serious challenge in the campaign to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
The results, which are being counted at tens of thousands of polling places, are being forwarded to the electoral headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to be compiled and sent.
The ultimate outcome is not anticipated until at least Tuesday.
Nigeria decides Election Day as it occurred
Mahmood Yakubu, the head of the electoral commission, apologized for the voting’s delays at a press conference on Saturday, but he also announced that anybody in line at a polling place by 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT) would be able to cast a ballot even though polls were due to close at that time.
About four hours after the polls had officially closed, voters celebrated as election officials arrived at a polling location in the Lekki area of the country’s largest metropolis, Lagos.
“I left with my power bank and a bottle of water because as a Nigerian you prepare for anything. I’ll hold off voting till they show up “a first-time voter, told the BBC, Edith.
information about armed attacks at voting places
There have been reports of violence and vote boxes being taken from Lagos. Some voters claimed they were assaulted and ejected from the area where they congregated to cast their ballots.
In some locations, voters said they were told to leave the polling place if they didn’t support a specific candidate.
In the southern state of Delta and the northern state of Katsina, armed men allegedly assaulted certain polling places, stealing voter card verification machines in the process.
To enable voting to take place, they were subsequently replaced, and security was increased.
However, due to problems, voting was moved from Saturday to Sunday at 141 polling places in the oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa.
Mr. Yakubu reported that in the Borno state in the northeast, militant Islamists opened fire on election officials from a mountaintop in the Gwoza area, injuring a number of authorities.
The run-up to the election was overshadowed by a cash crunch brought on by a bungled currency redesign, which resulted in widespread mayhem at banks and ATMs as desperate individuals sought access to their money.
The introduction of the new notes was made in an effort to combat vote-buying and inflation. A House of Representatives member was detained on the night before the election with about $500,000 (£419,000) in cash and a list of recipients, according to the police.
Regardless of who wins, they will have to deal with the new currency, a failing economy, massive youth unemployment, and pervasive insecurity that resulted in 10,000 fatalities last year.
Moreover, 109 federal senators and 360 members of the house of representatives were up for election, and state governors were also up for election in March.
A third of eligible voters are under 35, which indicates that young people are quite interested in this election.
With his May 2018 membership of the Labour Party, Mr. Obi, 61, hopes to end Nigeria’s two-party system.
Although he had previously been a member of the PDP, some young people in Nigeria, particularly those in the south, saw him as a comparatively new face and give him ardent support.
From 2006 to 2014, the successful businessman presided over the state of Anambra in the southeast. His supporters, known as the “OBIdients,” claim he is the only candidate who is honest, while his detractors contend that casting a vote for him is pointless because he is not likely to win.
Just who is Peter Obi?
Instead, the PDP, which ruled until 2015, is urging Nigerians to support 76-year-old Atiku Abubakar, the sole significant candidate from the region’s predominantly Muslim north.
He has already made five unsuccessful runs for the president. Notwithstanding his denials, he has been the target of persistent allegations of favoritism and corruption.
Having served as a top official, vice president, and well-known businessman, he has spent the majority of his career in positions of authority.
The person Atiku Abubakar is.
Since the APC has presided over a period of economic misery and escalating insecurity, the majority of people view the election as a referendum on its leadership.
During his two stints as governor from 2003 to 2007, its candidate, Bola Tinubu, age 70, is credited with creating Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial center.
In the south-west area, where he has significant power, he is regarded as a political godfather. Nevertheless, like Mr. Abubakar, he has long been the target of claims of corruption and poor health, both of which he vigorously denies.
Just who is Bola Tinubu?
For a candidate to be crowned the victor, they must receive the most votes and 25% of the total ballots cast in at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states.
If not, a run-off would be held in 21 days, which will be a first in Nigerian history.
