Who is leading in Nigeria presidential election

Eighteen candidates are competing to succeed Muhammadu Buhari as president, but only four are frontrunners.

Only four of the 18 candidates are considered frontrunners: Bola Tinubu of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the leading opposition People’s Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). [Key issues at stake](/news/2023/2/23/nigeria-election-2023-five-reasons-to-care-about-the-vote) include the economy, which has suffered two recessions in four years, and security. [Nigeria’s elections for the presidency](https://aje.aj-harbinger.com/news/liveblog/2023/2/25/nigeria-elections-live-news-nation-poised-for-presidential-vote) and both houses of the federal parliament were under way on Saturday across the country’s 36 states.

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.

Frustrated Nigerians cast their ballots into the evening Saturday, hours after the official deadline for joining the voting line in Africa's most populous ...

“Delays along with reports of voter suppression in Lagos risk aggravating the disappointment among passionate voters in a highly-anticipated election and cause an explosion of violent protests in urban centers,” he warned. It is also home to one of the largest youth populations in the world with a median age of only 18. And Atiku Abubakar has the name recognition of being one of Nigeria’s richest businessmen, having also served as a vice president and presidential hopeful in 2019 for his Peoples Democratic Party. Lengthy waits to vote “will likely disenfranchise voters, deepen the electoral disputes and trigger violence.” For the first time this year Nigeria’s election results will be transmitted electronically to headquarters in Abuja, a step officials say will reduce voter fraud. At the same time, older bank notes stopped being accepted, creating a shortage in a country where many use cash for daily transactions. estimates that Nigeria will tie with the United States as the third most populous nation in the world after India and China. Associated Press journalists saw armed men pull up to the voting station in a minibus, fire shots in the air and snatch the presidential ballot box. There were fears of violence on Election Day, from Islamic militants in the north to separatists in the south. There have been “widespread complaints about late-arriving officials, nonfunctioning machines, low presence of security and attacks on polling stations,” he added. “So it is very difficult for them to access their polling unit.” The

LAGOS, Nigeria — The presidential election in Africa's most populous country Nigeria was massively delayed on Saturday because of the tense security ...