Nigeria bids for history in presidential election

Nigerians voted in large numbers Saturday in a crucial presidential election as Africa's most populous nation sought to make history by holding its cleanest polls for head of state in nearly two decades. Voting was generally calm in most of the country, though two explosions hit the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, with no casualties reported. Rioting also broke out in the northern town of Misau that led to buildings being burnt.
The main opposition candidate alleged reports of fraud, but several observers gave the vote so far a thumbs up, stressing it was important for Nigeria to set a positive example for the rest of the continent. There were also reports however of other incidents, including a number of local observers being kidnapped or arrested, though details were not immediately available.
Polling stations across the country opened on time, and even earlier in some areas where large numbers of voters turned up and spoke of wanting to participate in a historic occasion in a country weary of flawed ballots. Voting had begun to wrap up by mid-afternoon in some areas, with counting underway.
President Goodluck Jonathan, the clear favourite, voted in his home state of Bayelsa in the oil-producing Niger Delta region. "Nigeria is now experiencing a true democracy, where we the politicians have to go to the people," he said, calling it "a new dawn in our political evolution."
Long lines formed at polling stations in and around the capital Abuja. "I am excited because I am voting for change," said Susan Thompson, a 32-year-old tailor who jostled for space in line at a polling place in a slum outside Abuja.
Jonathan has staked his reputation on the conduct of the polls, repeatedly promising a fair election in the continent's largest oil producer with a history of vote fraud and violence.
His main challenger, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, benefits from significant support in the country's north and has developed a reputation as an anti-graft figure, though his regime in the 1980s was also accused of outrageous rights abuses. A crowd of hundreds cheered him as he arrived to vote in the northern city of Daura, alleging there had been cases of fraud.
"We are still receiving reports of electoral fraud, of ballot stuffing in some places, but people are going to (electoral commission) offices to lodge complaints," he told journalists. An enormous effort has been undertaken to hold a credible vote, but violence has posed a risk, with bomb blasts and other attacks having killed dozens in the run-up to polls, including during last week's parliamentary ballot. More than 73 million people registered to vote. But in an example of how difficult bringing about such change in Nigeria can be, a first attempt at holding parliamentary polls on April 2 had to be called off when material and personnel failed to arrive in many areas.
When the parliamentary poll finally did go ahead on April 9, officials and observers described it as a significant step forward for the country. "Our observers' overall rating this morning is even better than one week ago," European Union chief observer Alojz Peterle, a former Slovenian prime minister, said Saturday.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party lost ground in last weekend's parliamentary vote, and opposition parties restarted negotiations this week to team up against Jonathan. But those talks collapsed, leaving the opposition with a difficult path to unseat an incumbent running for a party that has won every presidential poll since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Jonathan, 53 and a southern Christian, is the first president from the Niger Delta region. He had an almost accidental rise to power that culminated with him being thrust into office last year following the death of his predecessor, Umaru Yar'Adua.
His calm approach has led some to call him weak, while others say it is better suited to bringing about change in Nigeria, a nation of some 250 ethnic groups and a population roughly split between Christians and Muslims. Buhari, 69, is a northern Muslim who has run for president twice before. Many in the north see him as an opportunity to return power to their economically marginalised region. There are two other main candidates in the race: Nuhu Ribadu, the former head of the country's anti-graft agency, and Ibrahim Shekarau, governor of the northern state of Kano.