Nigeria electing governors after disputed presidential vote

18/3/2023 18:45

        Millions of Nigerians are headed back to the polls Saturday as Africa's most populous nation holds gubernatorial elections amid tensions after last month's disputed presidential vote.
        
        New governors are being chosen for 28 of Nigeria's 36 states as the opposition continues to reject the victory of President-elect Bola Tinubu from the West African nation's ruling party.
        
        On Friday, armed security forces were seen patrolling the streets across the states where elections were to be held.
        
        "Ahead of the elections, the security situation across the country appears tense, with reports of violence, kidnap and assassination in several states," Situation Room, a coalition of civil society groups, said in a statement.
        
        Observers have said that the presidential vote was peaceful for the most part, but there are still fears of attacks in many parts of Nigeria where armed groups often carry out violent killings, such as in the northwest and in the southeast.
        
        At a security meeting in Nigeria's capital this week, Nigeria’s national security adviser Babagana Monguno said security forces have been deployed in all violence hotspots and officials do not envisage any major security threat.