Nigeria's ruling party lost key parliament seats in the first of three crucial elections this month, results showed Sunday, after millions cast ballots despite deadly bomb blasts and delays.
Violence cast a shadow over a bid by Africa's most populous nation to hold a credible vote after a series of violent and deeply flawed elections, but officials and activists said the polls were a marked improvement.
The twice-postponed parliamentary polls on Saturday are to be followed by presidential elections on Saturday and governorship and state assembly ballots on April 26.
Results were being announced in each voting district Sunday, though some areas of the country's north voted until 2:00 am because of high turnout, possibly delaying announcements there, residents said.
Early indications gave the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria a strong showing in the country's south-west, where the economic capital Lagos is located.
The Congress for Progressive Change opposition, whose presidential candidate Muhammahu Buhari, an ex-military ruler, is seen as the main challenger to incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, appeared to make inroads in the north.
A spokesman for the speaker of the house of representatives, Dimeji Bankole of the ruling PDP, confirmed he had lost and said he did not intend to contest the defeat.
There were also reports that Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, had lost her senate seat. National assembly members have in the past frequently changed parties, making it unclear what effect the PDP's losses would have, especially if Jonathan wins the presidential election.
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