Votes are being counted in Nigeria’s tightest presidential election since the end of military rule in 1999.
Turnout was high, with many young, first-time voters arriving before dawn to cast their ballots.
Saturday’s voting was marred by long delays at polling stations, as well as scattered reports of ballot box looting and attacks by gunmen.
And some parties have sounded the alarm over allegations of irregularities, which could result in controversy.
The election is the largest democratic exercise in Africa, with 87 million people eligible to vote.
Since the restoration of multi-party democracy 24 years ago, politics has been dominated by two parties – the ruling APC and the PDP.
But this time, there is a strong challenge from a third party candidate in the race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari – Peter Obi of the Labor Party, who has the support of many youths.
Results are being counted at tens of thousands of polling stations, which will be collated and sent to the election headquarters in the capital, Abuja.
A final result is not expected until at least Tuesday.
In a press briefing on Saturday, the election chief, Mahmoud Yakubu, apologized for the delay in voting, but said that everyone who would be in line by 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT), He will be allowed to vote. Although the polling stations were officially supposed to be closed by then.
Voters in Lagos, the largest city, cheered as election officials arrived at a polling station in the suburb of Lekki about four hours after polls officially closed.
Edith, a first-time voter, told JEE News, “Being a Nigerian you expect any situation, so I brought my power bank and a bottle of water. I wait until they come. Ga so I can vote,” first-time voter Edith told JEE News.
