Iran Press/ Africa: Africa’s most populous nation is struggling with insurgencies in the northeast, an epidemic of kidnappings for ransom, the conflict between herders and farmers, shortages of cash, fuel, and power, as well as deep-rooted corruption and poverty.
Around 90 million citizens were eligible to cast vote for the successor of President Muhammadu Buhari, as many Nigerians expected that the new leader will tackle issues of increasing poverty, the sluggish economy, and a widening security crisis.
After the military rule's end in 1999, for the first time a third serious candidate is contesting elections with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In this election race, the APC candidate, who was also former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu is facing PDP's leader and former vice president Atiku Abubakar and third party candidate, Labour's leader Peter Obi, who was at one-time Anambra State governor.
The crowds gathered in Lagos and other cities to watch the counting of votes in polling centers, where the officials tallied ballots with their hands before sending them on electronically.
Nigerians elect new president, parliamentarians
Millions of Nigerians on Saturday, February 25, 2023, appeared at Poling Stations to decide who will be their next democratic president, 109 Senators at the Upper Chamber, and 360 members of the House of Representatives for the next four years.
There are 18 contenders in the race for the Asso-Rock presidential seat but the major four are the former Vice-President, Alhaj Atiku Abubakar from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Ahmad Tinubu who was the former Governor of Lagos State from the ruling All Progressive Party (APC), the former minister of defense, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who was also the former Kano State Governor from New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and the candidate of Labour Party (LP), the former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.
The Independent Electoral Commission said there were 93.4 million eligible voters for the 2023 polls.
The voting started at 8:30 am but in many polling stations, people began voting lately. Information gathered by Iran Press says the election did not start in many places across the country on time. In some places, it started almost one hour before closing time.
A female Nigerian who successfully cast her vote, Ezia Chioma Mori said: "I have voted for a change to a new Nigeria that can change everything, the situation we are in now. Some of the situations are the challenges of insecurity, inadequate education, and health facilities."
Zakariya Mohammad in Baba Sidi Poling Unit in Bauchi State who furiously talked to Iran Press said: "The situation is not commendable at all. The election was supposed to start by 8:30 am but as you can see, nothing is being done."
Another voter, Abubakar Mohammad said he was at the polling unit waiting to cast his vote for the past three hours but no vote has been cast. When asked about the causes of the delay, he said: ''It could be either the personnel of the Independent Electoral Commission are incompetent or the materials particularly the registration form are not quite okay."
Whoever wins the presidential election among the contesters will face so many challenges, the major ones include insecurity due to takfiri terrorist actions in Northern parts, IPOB terrorism in South East and banditry in almost all parts of the country, economic and educational.
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