Goodluck Jonathan slightly ahead in first election results amid US fears
All Progressives Congress (APC) party supporters sit on the floor during a march towards the Independent National Electoral Commission Office in Port Harcourt calling for the cancellation of the presidential elections in the Rivers State on March 30, 2015. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Some 2,000 women protest against the conduct of elections in Nigeria’s Rivers state.
- Jonathan’s party, in power since 1999, faces major big challenge from ex-general.
ABUJA
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were marginally ahead of his main challenger, as the first general election results came in on Monday.
Mr Jonathan and the PDP polled 2,322,734 votes overall against 2,302,978 for former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) — a difference of 19,756.
Mr Buhari and the APC won five states while Jonathan secured three states plus the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, with nine results in. More results are expected from 1900 GMT.
The winning presidential candidate needs not just the most votes but at least 25 per cent support in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to avoid a run-off.
The latter measure is designed to ensure a geographical spread of support across the country, with Nigeria divided along religious and ethnic lines.
PREVENTED FROM ENTERING
Meanwhile, some 2,000 women protesting against the conduct of elections in Nigeria’s Rivers state were teargassed on Monday as they tried to register their complaints with electoral officials, AFP reporters said.
Armed police and soldiers prevented the women, from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and all dressed in black, from entering the electoral commission offices in the state capital, Port Harcourt.
The APC alleges that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and election officials rigged the presidential and parliamentary election, which was held on Saturday and Sunday.
“What happened today was unprecedented,” said APC women leader Victoria Nyeche, a local lawmaker.
“The police teargassed and injured some of us during a peaceful protest at INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission).
In Lausanne, France, US Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart Philip Hammond Monday voiced fears over possible political interference in Nigeria’s vote count, as the country awaited the results of weekend elections.
“We have seen no evidence of systemic manipulation of the process.
But there are disturbing indications that the collation process — where the votes are finally counted — may be subject to deliberate political interference,” the two diplomats said in a joint statement.
