Nigeria election 2023

The elections are the biggest democratic exercise in Africa, with 87 million people eligible to vote.

He has been dogged by accusations of corruption and cronyism, which he denies. The wealthy businessman served as governor of the south-eastern Anambra State from 2006 to 2014. The new notes were introduced in order to tackle inflation, and also vote-buying. A candidate needs to have the most votes and 25% of ballots cast in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states to be declared the winner. "As a Nigerian you expect any eventuality, so I came out with my power bank and a bottle of water. He is known as a political godfather in the south-west region, where he wields huge influence, but like Mr Abubakar, has also been dogged by allegations of corruption over the years and poor health, both of which he denies. Most people consider the election a referendum on the APC, which has overseen a period of economic hardship and worsening insecurity. Most of his career has been spent in the corridors of power, having worked as a top civil servant, vice-president and a prominent businessman. On the eve of the election a member of the House of Representatives was arrested with almost $500,000 (£419,000) in cash, and a list of people he was supposed to give it to, police say. Although he was in the PDP before then, he is seen as a relatively fresh face and enjoys fervent support among some sections of Nigeria's youth, especially in the south. Tens of thousands of polling stations are counting the results, which will be collated and sent to the electoral headquarters in the capital Abuja. But voting was postponed to Sunday at 141 polling stations in the oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa because of disruptions.

LAGOS, Nigeria -Voting took place across Nigeria on Saturday, to decide one of the most competitive and unpredictable polls in years.

Many both young and old said they were voting for the first time. Bus stops, the front of restaurants, pharmacies and schools, were converted to polling units and lines winding round the block in the heat. As always, the election brought ordinary life to an eerie standstill.

Nigeria was counting ballots on Sunday, a day after a historically tight election among three frontrunners competing for the presidency of Africa's most ...

"Voting is still in progress well beyond the approved hours," said voter Kabiru Sani, 37. [Mali](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/mali/) and [Burkina Faso](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/burkina-faso/) and growing Islamist militancy have taken the region's democracy back a step. Fuel and cash shortages caused by a bank note exchange in the run-up to the election also left many Nigerians struggling more than usual in a country already hit by more than 20-percent inflation. The rules reflect a country almost equally split between the mostly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south, and with three main ethnic groups across the regions: Yoruba in the southwest, Hausa/Fulani in the north and Igbo in the southeast. [Nigeria](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/nigeria/) still battling a 14-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast that has displaced two million people, bandit militias in the northwest and separatist gunmen in the southeast. [race](https://www.france24.com/en/tag/elections/), three stand out: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, candidate of the ruling party (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition party (PDP), and [Peter Obi](https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20230220-can-nigeria-s-peter-obi-ride-his-newfound-momentum-all-the-way-to-presidency), backed by the Labour Party.

BBC reported that vote counting is under way in Nigeria's tightest presidential election since military rule ended in 1999. Turnout appeared to be high, ...

He shared stories of survivors and rescuers on Twitter and is now under investigation on suspicion of spreading “fake news” and could face up to three years in jail. On Thursday, the UN General Assembly in New York overwhelmingly backed a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the 12-point document did not specifically say that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and did not condemn Russia’s invasion. A footnote said that two paragraphs summarising the war were “agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China”. The man’s parents and elder brother were arrested a day earlier. But this time, there is also a strong challenge from a third-party candidate in the race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari – from the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who is backed by many young people.

Vote counting is under way in Nigeria's tightest presidential election since military rule ended in 1999. Turnout appeared to be high, with many young, first-time voters arriving before dawn to cast their ballots. Saturday's voting was marred by long ...

By Nduka Orjinmo, BBC News, Abuja. Voting was marred by long delays as polling stations failed to open on time in some areas because of logistical problems ...

He has been dogged by accusations of corruption and cronyism, which he denies. The wealthy businessman served as governor of the south-eastern Anambra State from 2006 to 2014. The new notes were introduced in order to tackle inflation, and also vote-buying. A candidate needs to have the most votes and 25% of ballots cast in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states to be declared the winner. "As a Nigerian you expect any eventuality, so I came out with my power bank and a bottle of water. On the eve of the election a member of the House of Representatives was arrested with almost $500,000 (£419,000) in cash, and a list of people he was supposed to give it to, police say.

Vote counting is under way in Nigeria's tightest presidential election since military rule ended in 1999.

He has been dogged by accusations of corruption and cronyism, which he denies. The wealthy businessman served as governor of the south-eastern Anambra State from 2006 to 2014. The new notes were introduced in order to tackle inflation, and also vote-buying. There have been reports from Lagos of violence and ballot boxes being snatched. "As a Nigerian you expect any eventuality, so I came out with my power bank and a bottle of water. A candidate needs to have the most votes and 25 percent of ballots cast in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states to be declared the winner.

Nigeria's electoral authority counted ballots cast in Saturday's presidential election, with the winner of the vote expected to be announced as early as ...

Vote-counting was already underway in other places after Saturday's presidential and parliamentary election. The race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari was ...

Some frustrated Nigerians cast their ballots with flashlights while others stood watch at their polling stations as counting got under way late Saturday ...

Mahmood Yakubu, head of Nigeria’s election commission, said national collation of results in the presidential election would commence at noon on Sunday. In the northwest Bauchi state, Lagos-based Channels TV reported that voters were still voting using their torchlights at around 9 pm. The cash shortage affected transport not only for voters but also election workers and police officers providing security.

New polling system hit by significant technical problems with results unlikely to be confirmed on Sunday.

However, analysts point out this is the seventh poll held since the end of military rule in 1999 and that some Nigerian democratic institutions are growing stronger. “If the official results are manipulated at any point in the process we will be able to expose it.” In recent weeks, an effort to replace almost all Nigeria’s bank notes – in part to reduce the widespread practice of vote-buying – has caused massive economic disruption and much popular anger. “The commission is aware of challenges … Many Nigerians express deep disillusionment with their government, though are often wary of any radical break with the past. Yiaga Africa, a coalition of civil society groups, said it had concerns about “voter suppression and irregularities”. Many believe a credible poll and progress in tackling the country’s multiple problems are key to stability across a swath of We need to get things right in Nigeria,” the tycoon “I have the mental capacity, energy and drive to lead this country. His challenge threatens the dominance of the two parties in power since the end of military rule in 1999, making Saturday’s election the most competitive for decades. “It’s going to be a problem for everybody, whoever they voted for.” Early hopes that official nationwide results could be expected from late on Sunday appear optimistic as a new system deployed by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has developed significant technical problems.