NIGERIA: 2011 ELECTION

Nigerians vote in crucial presidential election

Ribadu, Shekaru, Buhari, Goodluck

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa will go to poll today (Saturday) to elect a new president in a crucial presidential election.

The incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner from the oil rich Bayelsa state will be slugging it out with his main rival, Gen Mohammadu Buhari, a muslim from the North and a former military Head of State whose regime was noted for discipline and anti-graft war.

Other candidates, who are considered to be feather weights, are former anti-corruption boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who is contesting on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Gov. of Kano state, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

President Jonathan will be banking on votes from the South-East, oil rich South-South, North central, South-west while Gen. Buhari will be hoping to get block votes from the North.

Many believe the election is crucial to Nigeria because the country has never had a free and fair election since the military handed over power to civilians in 1999, though last week’s parliamentary election which has been hailed as being free and fair despite pockets of crisis raises hope that Nigeria will get it right this time around.

African Examiner