February 26, 2019
KANO, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's election lead grew on Tuesday during a second day of announcing state-by-state election results in Africa's largest democracy. The death toll in vote-related violence rose to 53 as an extremist attack was found to be worse than first reported.
Buhari led by more 1 million votes as he seeks a second term, urging Nigerians to give him time to build on the foundation of his first term hurt by a rare recession and widespread insecurity. Buhari had won 10 of Nigeria's 36 states by mid-afternoon while top challenger Atiku Abubakar, a billionaire former vice president, won seven states, most in the largely Christian south, and the capital's territory.
The process could continue into Wednesday in a race once described as too close to call. Abubakar's party has alleged manipulation of results after Saturday's vote. The ruling party rejects the claim, calling it an attempt to discredit the election, which some observers have called a step back from the widely praised 2015 vote.
In Kano, Nigeria's second-largest state and the heart of the country's Muslim north, the local results were declared at 4 a.m., with Buhari winning. "Well, we thank God that at least we finished this safely, without any hitches," the state electoral commissioner, Riskuwa Shehu, told The Associated Press.
Within minutes, he would join security agents in carrying the results to the capital, Abuja, where they would get in line to announce them for a national audience. Turnout appeared to be lower, Shehu said. He pointed to a number of factors, including the fear of possible violence after heated campaigning. The "disappointment" of a weeklong postponement likely played a role, he said.
Election observers say the vote was hurt by the surprise postponement and significant delays in the opening of polling stations. While they called the process generally peaceful, at least 53 people were killed, analysis unit SBM Intelligence said Tuesday.
The toll rose because an attack claimed by the Islamic State West Africa Province extremist group in the northeast was deadlier than first thought, with at least 17 people killed, head of research Cheta Nwanze told AP.
Nigerians now wonder whether Buhari or Abubakar will follow through on pledges to accept a loss, or challenge the results. A former United States ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, says the troubled election has given them grounds to go to the courts. That route could take months.
"Alhamdulillah," said 36-year-old Umar Ibrahim, who bantered with clients about politics at his tiny shop in Kano. "Up to now they say Buhari is leading, far. He is a good elder." Grace Eje, a 25-year-old domestic worker, held out hope for Abubakar, saying Nigeria needed someone new after Buhari. "No money, no work, no help from him," she said of the president, grimacing.
Nigeria's some 190 million people say they pray for peace. They were surprised in 2015 when President Goodluck Jonathan conceded before official results were announced giving victory to Buhari, a former military dictator who pulled off the first defeat of an incumbent by the opposition in the country's history.
Many worry that such a concession appears unlikely this time. "Jonathan set the benchmark on how electoral outcomes should be handled," Chris Kwaja, a senior adviser to the United States Institute of Peace, told The Associated Press. "Accept defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship. This is a critical vehicle for democratic consolidation. So far, it is unclear what the candidates will do."
For the presidency, a candidate must win a majority of overall votes as well as at least 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states. If that isn't achieved, the election moves to a runoff.
The YIAGA Africa project, which deployed more than 3,900 observers, projected that no runoff election will be needed and that a "clear winner" would emerge. It was not yet clear how many of Nigeria's estimated 73 million eligible voters turned out. YIAGA estimated turnout at between 36 percent and 40 percent, down from 44 percent in 2015. That would continue the trend of recent elections.
KANO, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's election lead grew on Tuesday during a second day of announcing state-by-state election results in Africa's largest democracy. The death toll in vote-related violence rose to 53 as an extremist attack was found to be worse than first reported.
Buhari led by more 1 million votes as he seeks a second term, urging Nigerians to give him time to build on the foundation of his first term hurt by a rare recession and widespread insecurity. Buhari had won 10 of Nigeria's 36 states by mid-afternoon while top challenger Atiku Abubakar, a billionaire former vice president, won seven states, most in the largely Christian south, and the capital's territory.
The process could continue into Wednesday in a race once described as too close to call. Abubakar's party has alleged manipulation of results after Saturday's vote. The ruling party rejects the claim, calling it an attempt to discredit the election, which some observers have called a step back from the widely praised 2015 vote.
In Kano, Nigeria's second-largest state and the heart of the country's Muslim north, the local results were declared at 4 a.m., with Buhari winning. "Well, we thank God that at least we finished this safely, without any hitches," the state electoral commissioner, Riskuwa Shehu, told The Associated Press.
Within minutes, he would join security agents in carrying the results to the capital, Abuja, where they would get in line to announce them for a national audience. Turnout appeared to be lower, Shehu said. He pointed to a number of factors, including the fear of possible violence after heated campaigning. The "disappointment" of a weeklong postponement likely played a role, he said.
Election observers say the vote was hurt by the surprise postponement and significant delays in the opening of polling stations. While they called the process generally peaceful, at least 53 people were killed, analysis unit SBM Intelligence said Tuesday.
The toll rose because an attack claimed by the Islamic State West Africa Province extremist group in the northeast was deadlier than first thought, with at least 17 people killed, head of research Cheta Nwanze told AP.
Nigerians now wonder whether Buhari or Abubakar will follow through on pledges to accept a loss, or challenge the results. A former United States ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, says the troubled election has given them grounds to go to the courts. That route could take months.
"Alhamdulillah," said 36-year-old Umar Ibrahim, who bantered with clients about politics at his tiny shop in Kano. "Up to now they say Buhari is leading, far. He is a good elder." Grace Eje, a 25-year-old domestic worker, held out hope for Abubakar, saying Nigeria needed someone new after Buhari. "No money, no work, no help from him," she said of the president, grimacing.
Nigeria's some 190 million people say they pray for peace. They were surprised in 2015 when President Goodluck Jonathan conceded before official results were announced giving victory to Buhari, a former military dictator who pulled off the first defeat of an incumbent by the opposition in the country's history.
Many worry that such a concession appears unlikely this time. "Jonathan set the benchmark on how electoral outcomes should be handled," Chris Kwaja, a senior adviser to the United States Institute of Peace, told The Associated Press. "Accept defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship. This is a critical vehicle for democratic consolidation. So far, it is unclear what the candidates will do."
For the presidency, a candidate must win a majority of overall votes as well as at least 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states. If that isn't achieved, the election moves to a runoff.
The YIAGA Africa project, which deployed more than 3,900 observers, projected that no runoff election will be needed and that a "clear winner" would emerge. It was not yet clear how many of Nigeria's estimated 73 million eligible voters turned out. YIAGA estimated turnout at between 36 percent and 40 percent, down from 44 percent in 2015. That would continue the trend of recent elections.
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