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                   Vote Count Continues in Nigerian Election

   by VOA News

   Vote counting has begun again in Nigeria, where voters await the
   results of Saturday's presidential election pitting incumbent Goodluck
   Jonathan against challenger Muhammadu Buhari.

   Half the country's 36 states were counted by late Monday, with Buhari
   winning 10 states and President Jonathan winning eight states and the
   federal capital territory, Abuja.

   Some of Buhari's victories came in states in southern Nigeria, which is
   generally considered a stronghold for President Jonathan.

   State officials declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the region
   surrounding Port Harcourt, in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region.
   That area -- Rivers State -- has been the scene of some post-election
   protests. The opposition All Progressives Congress party (APC) has
   called for the election there to be redone after alleged vote rigging.

   Post-election violence marred Nigeria's disputed 2011 vote, resulting
   in some 800 deaths mostly in the nation's northern regions.

   On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign
   Secretary Philip Hammond released a joint statement saying there are
   "disturbing indications" that Nigeria's vote collation process "may be
   subject to deliberate political interference."

   They said the U.S. and British governments "would be very concerned by
   any attempts to undermine the independence of the electoral commission
   or its chairman... or in any way distort the expressed will of the
   Nigerian people."  The statement did not name any parties or
   individuals.

   A spokesman for President Jonathan's campaign called the allegations
   "absolute balderdash." Spokesman Femi Fani-Kayode challenged Kerry or
   any other foreign official to provide evidence.

   Opinion polls before the election showed President Jonathan and the
   ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) faced a stiff challenge from the
   opposition APC party and Buhari.

   To win the election without a runoff, a presidential candidate needs a
   majority of the nationwide vote while also securing at least 25 percent
   of the ballots in two-thirds of the country's 36 states and the
   capital.

   Nigerians also voted for parliament seats.  The African Union and the
   Economic Community of West African States observer missions said
   despite logistical problems and some violence, the organization of the
   election was "acceptable."

   The election was supposed to have been held solely on Saturday, but
   voting was extended into Sunday because of delays caused by technical
   problems.

   Nigeria was originally due to hold the election in mid-February, but
   officials pushed back the vote because of fighting and instability in
   northeastern states where Boko Haram militants have been battling the
   government since 2009.

   The security situation improved after a multinational offensive drove
   the militants from many towns they had controlled.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/vote-count-continues-nigerian-electio
   n/2700883.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/vote-count-continues-nigerian-election/2700883.html