Nigerians vote for brand new president in carefully fought election

Practically 90 million individuals are eligible to vote within the ballot, which is unfolding as Africa’s most populous democracy grapples with a safety disaster, a sluggish economic system and widening poverty.

For the primary time in Nigeria’s fashionable historical past, a 3rd candidate has emerged to problem the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and principal opposition Peoples Democratic Celebration (PDP).

With Buhari stepping down after two phrases in workplace, the APC’s Bola Tinubu, 70, a former Lagos governor and political kingmaker, says “It’s my flip” for the presidency.

He faces a well-recognized rival — PDP candidate and former vice chairman Atiku Abubakar, 76, who’s on his sixth bid for the highest job.

However the emergence of a shock third candidate interesting to younger voters, Labour Celebration’s Peter Obi, 61, has thrown the race open for the primary time because the finish of navy rule in 1999.

Practically 10 million new voters registered this yr, most of them below 34, representing an necessary bloc if they arrive out to vote.

“It’s not as simple to foretell as earlier than,” stated Kano State Faculty public affairs lecturer Kabiru Sufi.

“It’s tough for us to make a simple prediction as to what’s going to be the doubtless end result.”

Money and gas shortages within the days earlier than the election have additionally left many Nigerians offended and struggling greater than traditional in a rustic already hit by greater than 20 % inflation.

“This coming authorities ought to try to right all of the wrongs that this administration and different administrations have made,” stated Lagos vendor Blessing Asabe, 37.

“That’s the reason this election is essential for whoever we determine to decide on.”

Voters can even solid their poll for Nigeria’s two homes of parliament, the Nationwide Meeting and Senate.

– Regional ties –

To win the presidency, a candidate should get essentially the most votes, but additionally win 25 % in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states.

If no candidate wins, a runoff will happen between the 2 frontrunners, an unprecedented end result that some analysts say is a chance this time round.

The foundations replicate a rustic nearly equally cut up between the largely Muslim north and predominantly Christian south, and with three principal ethnic teams throughout areas: Yoruba in southwest, Hausa/Fulani within the north and Igbo within the southeast.

The presidential elections have up to now usually been marked by violence, ethnic tensions, vote-buying and clashes between supporters of rival events.

Voting additionally usually falls alongside ethnic and spiritual traces.

This time, Tinubu is a southern Yoruba Muslim, Atiku is an ethnic Fulani Muslim from the northeast and Peter Obi is a Christian Igbo from the southeast.

In 2019, hours earlier than polls opened, the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) postponed the election by every week due to issues delivering election supplies.

As we speak, most specialists see INEC as being extra ready. It has launched biometric voter IDs to assist forestall fraud and outcomes shall be transmitted electronically.

– Safety –

Round 400,000 police and troops shall be deployed across the nation to guard the vote.

However safety challenges are huge.

Jihadists function largely within the northeast, bandit militias management rural communities within the northwest, and separatist gunmen have focused INEC places of work and police within the southeast.

Polling stations open at 0730 GMT and shut at 1330 GMT.

INEC has given no timeline for outcomes, however votes are anticipated to be tallied inside a number of days. Below a 2022 legislation, the official outcomes should be confirmed inside 14 days of the poll.

If a runoff is asserted, the vote has to happen inside 21 days.

AFP