Nigeria Decides

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Presidential Election: Nigeria Chooses Its Leader Today

Clement Ejiofor, 2 days ago

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The most expected day of the recent period has finally come: March 28, the day of the presidential election.

Millions of Nigerians are to go to the polling units to cast their votes for the candidate who will lead the country for the next 4 years.

Fourteen parties and presidential candidates were gunning for presidency.

The toughest competition will apparently take place between President Goodluck Jonathan, running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Muhammadu Buhari, representing the All Progressives Congress.

Both candidates yesterday arrived in their hometowns for the historical event in the political life of Nigeria.

Follow Naij.com for the freshest updates from across the country.

01: 20 In the final result announced at the two polling units at the Presidential Villa Saturday night, PDP candidate President Goodluck Jonathan lost to APC candidate General Mohammadu Buhari as he polled a total of 595 votes to General Buhari’s 613 votes.

00: 30 INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, expressed satisfaction with the election process so far. Speaking at the Channels Television, he admitted challenges with the card reader and explained the rationale behind creating an addendum to the electoral guidelines. He also said he regrets the unforeseen incidents.

00: 10 Though counting of ballot papers is still ongoing and 300 polling units will continue voting process on Sunday, March 29, some results have been already displayed (Abia: PDP 75%, APC 25%; Lagos: PDP 10%, APC 90%).

23: 15 According to the recent reports, Boko Haram extremists killed 39 people, including a legislator, in northeastern Nigeria, disrupting the country’s presidential election. Residents of the town of Miringa say Boko Haram militants torched people’s homes and then shot them as they tried to escape. Twenty-five reportedly died. Another 14 people, including Gombe state legislator Umaru Ali, died in attacks on the towns of Biri and Dukku.

22: 56 Thugs suspected to be working for the ruling PDP snatched one of the ballot boxes at Shehu Manzo 005 polling unit in Gombe metropolis where Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s casted his vote following apparent indication of President Jonathan’s failure at the unit.

Reportedly, the thugs were aided by armed policemen men on patrol in the polling unit area after observing from the tune of the counting that the result may not favour PDP’s presidential candidate.

22:34 The votes are being counted by torchlight in Abuja and other states



21: 50 The incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan comes back to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, after casting his vote at his hometown in Otueke, Bayels

20:50 More and more polling units send in their reports with results. The APC looks really strong in Lagos.

20:12 Night-time voting is underway at various polling stations in Lagos.

19:54 APC supporter shot in Edo state has been brought to the hospital two hours later and is said by the Doctor’s to be in stable condition.


APC Supporter Shot in Edo
 19:45 The head of the ECOWAS Election Monitoring Team to Nigeria, John Kuffour, has praised Nigerians for the large turnout for the general elections.

He said: “Nigeria is very strategic to West Africa and Africa in general, that is why the attention of the continent and the whole world is focused on this election.

“It is our hope that Nigeria will come out a winner. I commend the way and manner voters conducted themselves.’’

19:40 The Rivers state police command have revealed that they apprehended a middle aged man for stealing a ballot box in Tai local government area of the state.

19:02 BBC Journalist, Kelvin Brown, shared this picture of Buhari’s hometown as people still wait in line to cast their vote.



18:55 Reports coming in state that Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) had clashed with Army Brigade Commander due to his movement wi