Nigeria election: Count underway in close-run vote
A woman casts her vote in Bayelsa state, 16 April 2011 New transparency has been introduced to the electoral process
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Nigeria votes: 2011

Voting round-up
Free vote challenge
Explore Nigeria: Chaos amid oil
Q&A: Nigeria elections

Nigeria is counting tens of millions of votes cast in the country's presidential election, with early indications suggesting a close contest.

President Goodluck Jonathan is facing a challenge from Muhammadu Buhari, an ex-military leader popular in the north.

Early results showed Mr Jonathan with a lead, but saw Mr Buhari with a substantial lead in his heartland.

Mr Jonathan has staked his reputation on the the election, repeatedly promising it would be free and fair.

Counting began as soon as polls closed on Saturday, and the BBC's Caroline Duffield, in the Nigerian capital Abuja, says most votes have now been counted. Official results are expected on Monday.

Reports of partial results showed that Mr Jonathan was leading the field in the south of Nigeria - he hails from the oil-rich Niger Delta region - but that Gen Buhari was mounting a strong challenge in the mainly Muslim north.

He is maintaining a wide lead amid a high turnout, our correspondent says.

To win at the first round a candidate needs at least 25% of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states.
'New dawn'
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Analysis
Caroline Duffield BBC News, Nigeria

Already this vote is being hailed as a turning point in Nigeria's history. The surprise and delight of people here is understandable set against the stolen votes and thuggery of the past.

In the capital Abuja there was a sense of thrill and excitement as people poured out to vote. Across the country, there were occasional disturbances.

But, overwhelmingly, signs of a calm and a peaceful election are encouraging election observers who say that this day could be a historic step forward for Nigeria's democracy.

Voting was reported to have generally gone smoothly, despite some reports of fraud and incidents of violence.

Some violence was reported on polling day, with a woman said to have been killed in the central city of Jos and two bomb explosions in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.

Dozens of people were killed in the run-up to the vote.

Mr Jonathan cast his ballot in his home state of Bayelsa in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

After voting, he said the election was a "new dawn in Nigeria's political evolution".

"If the ballot paper means nothing then there is no democracy… Nigeria is now experiencing true democracy where we the politicians have to go to the people," he said.
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Election Season

20 presidential candidates
74 million registered voters
Parliament, president and local elections on three consecutive weekends
Ruling PDP dominated every vote since end of military rule in 1999
Previous elections plagued by corruption and violence
New election commission head has promised clean vote

In pictures: Nigerians vote
Viewpoint: Bloody politics
Maiduguri: City of fear

He said he was confident of victory, and said he would leave office if he lost.

Other challengers for the presidency include former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu and Kano state governor Ibrahim Shekarau, though both are seen as rank outsiders.

In Daura, home to Gen Buhari, crowds waited for hours despite the intense heat to cast their votes. He insisted the election was not as clean as Mr Jonathan was suggesting.

"There's a desperate attempt by the ruling party to rig this election in a more sophisticated way," Gen Buhari told the BBC.

"This time around - the level of awareness and commitment by the masses is what has given me some relief."

Gen Buhari added that he had more faith in the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) this time round, adding that "probably 60% of the election will be credible".
Chequered past

Africa's largest oil producer has long been plagued by corruption and has a history of vote fraud and violence.
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Presidential Candidates

Goodluck Jonathan, president - PDP
Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler - CPC
Nuhu Ribadu, former anti-corruption fighter - ACN
Ibrahim Shekarau, Kano governor - ANPP
16 others

Allegations of ballot-stuffing plagued the 2007 election, which brought Mr Jonathan to power as the vice-president.

He took over as president in 2010 when the incumbent died, becoming the first leader from the oil-producing Niger Delta region.

Mr Jonathan's People's Democratic Party lost seats in a parliamentary election last week.

But he remains favourite in opinion polls, and his chances have been boosted after Mr Buhari and Mr Ribadu failed to agree a formal alliance to run against him.

The relatively successful conduct of the parliamentary election has increased confidence in the ability of the electoral commission, Inec, to ensure a fair presidential vote.

With 74 million registered voters, Nigeria has the biggest electorate on the continent.
Nigeria: A nation divided

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The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has won all elections since the end of military rule in 1999. It won two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states last time. But having a southerner - President Goodluck Jonathan - as its candidate in the presidential elections may lose it some votes in the north.