Monitoring Desk
ABUJA: Ruling party candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu is leading Nigeria’s most closely contested general election since the West African country’s return to democracy over two decades ago.
The Independent Electoral Commission has thus far officially declared results for 14 of the 36 states.
Tinubu has now secured 47% of the total votes counted so far, followed by the main opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar in the second place, with Labour’s Peter Obi coming in third.
A candidate, in order to win the presidency, needs to have the most votes overall and win 25 percent in 25 of Nigeria’s 36 states.
A controversial poll
The entire polling process has been mired in controversy after both of the main opposition parties on Monday walked out of the national collation centre in the capital, Abuja, where results were being announced, accusing the electoral body of a lack of transparency revolving a new electronic voter system, a claim the commission denies.
European Union observers said INEC ‘s poor planning and communication undermined trust in the electoral process.
The polls have also seen major upsets as Tinubu suffered defeat in Lagos, his stronghold for over twenty years, by a surprise third party candidate Peter Obi who has gathered support among young Nigerians.
Meanwhile, Abubakar, the mail rival of Tinubu, won Katsina, outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari’s, who is supporting Tinubu, home state.
The new Nigerian president will face a number of problems including worsening insecurity, surging unemployment and a deteriorating economy.
