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| Court puts Nigeria poll in doubt | Court puts Nigeria poll in doubt |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's Supreme Court has ruled that Vice-President Atiku Abubakar should be allowed to contest Saturday's presidential elections. | Nigeria's Supreme Court has ruled that Vice-President Atiku Abubakar should be allowed to contest Saturday's presidential elections. |
| He was disqualified because of corruption allegations, which he says are politically motivated. | He was disqualified because of corruption allegations, which he says are politically motivated. |
| However, it is not clear if new ballot papers can be printed in time for Nigeria's 60m voters. | However, it is not clear if new ballot papers can be printed in time for Nigeria's 60m voters. |
| The ruling People's Democratic Party won a clear majority of the state governorship contests held on Saturday. | The ruling People's Democratic Party won a clear majority of the state governorship contests held on Saturday. |
| The Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled that the election commission did not have the power to disqualify candidates. | The Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled that the election commission did not have the power to disqualify candidates. |
| It is possible that a sticker with Mr Abubakar's name could be added to the ballot papers. | |
| Mr Abubakar was a founder member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) but fell out with President Olusegun Obasanjo last year when he opposed moves to let the president seek re-election. | |
| 'Thugs' | |
| The strongest other opposition candidate has told the BBC he is not confident the election will be fair. | The strongest other opposition candidate has told the BBC he is not confident the election will be fair. |
| Opposition supporters took to the streets in parts of the country on Sunday, claiming the results had been rigged. | Opposition supporters took to the streets in parts of the country on Sunday, claiming the results had been rigged. |
| KEY STATE RESULTS Lagos: ACKatsina: PDPRivers: PDPKano: SuspendedImo: Postponed class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6292141.stm">Profile: Atiku Abubakar class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6555755.stm">In pictures: State polls class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6555959.stm">Difficult day at polls Tension is said to be high in many Nigerian cities, with a curfew imposed in Kano and sporadic shooting heard in Lagos. | |
| Opposition presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari said election officials and police had been biased against his All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in seven states. | Opposition presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari said election officials and police had been biased against his All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in seven states. |
| "To get whole states where the elections were not fair, and where there was violence, is quite disturbing," he told the BBC. | "To get whole states where the elections were not fair, and where there was violence, is quite disturbing," he told the BBC. |
| "The PDP stalwarts are organising thugs, carrying away boxes, diverting other election materials." | |
| The police say that 21 people died in election clashes over the weekend, although local media report up to 50 dead. | The police say that 21 people died in election clashes over the weekend, although local media report up to 50 dead. |
| The BBC's Alex Last saw men storming a polling station and leaving with ballot papers in the southern city of Port Harcourt. | The BBC's Alex Last saw men storming a polling station and leaving with ballot papers in the southern city of Port Harcourt. |
| He says politicians often hire and arm young men to help them rig elections, attack rivals, steal ballot boxes and intimidate election officials or voters. | He says politicians often hire and arm young men to help them rig elections, attack rivals, steal ballot boxes and intimidate election officials or voters. |
| Political office is often seen as the quick path to real enrichment - a chance to tap into the country's huge oil revenues, especially in the oil-rich south of the country, our correspondent says. | Political office is often seen as the quick path to real enrichment - a chance to tap into the country's huge oil revenues, especially in the oil-rich south of the country, our correspondent says. |
| Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but unrest in the oil-producing Niger Delta has cut output by some 20%. | Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but unrest in the oil-producing Niger Delta has cut output by some 20%. |
| The PDP has won 26 of the 32 states declared so far. | The PDP has won 26 of the 32 states declared so far. |
| The ANPP has won the northern states of Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara. | The ANPP has won the northern states of Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I don't trust the electioneering process in some parts of the country Macaulay, Nigeria class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5967&edition=2&ttl=20070404114051">Send us your comments Mr Abubakar's Action Congress has retained control of the state of Lagos, the commercial capital and the small Progressive People's Alliance has won in the south-eastern Abia State. | |
| The Independent National Election Commission (Inec) said two other south-eastern states - Imo and Enugu - will have to re-run their elections because of irregularities. | |
| Results are still awaited from Kano and Taraba states. | Results are still awaited from Kano and Taraba states. |
| The announcement of the results in the most populous state, Kano, was suspended amid high tension with both the PDP and ANPP declaring victory. | |
| Opposition supporters burned down government buildings in northern Katsina State, after the PDP candidate was declared the victor. | Opposition supporters burned down government buildings in northern Katsina State, after the PDP candidate was declared the victor. |
| The state election was cancelled in south-eastern Imo State because of election malpractice. | The state election was cancelled in south-eastern Imo State because of election malpractice. |
| The presidential contest should see the first time one civilian administration hands power to another since Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960. | The presidential contest should see the first time one civilian administration hands power to another since Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960. |
| President Olusegun Obasanjo is standing down after two terms in office. | President Olusegun Obasanjo is standing down after two terms in office. |