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| Opposition contest Nigerian polls | Opposition contest Nigerian polls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nigeria's two main opposition presidential candidates will not boycott Saturday's polls and will run individually, their parties have said. | Nigeria's two main opposition presidential candidates will not boycott Saturday's polls and will run individually, their parties have said. |
| It scuppers the idea of the opposition uniting behind one candidate. | It scuppers the idea of the opposition uniting behind one candidate. |
| Atiku Abubakar's spokesman said Muhammadu Buhari's party, which took the decision not to boycott, had "crashed the alliance". | Atiku Abubakar's spokesman said Muhammadu Buhari's party, which took the decision not to boycott, had "crashed the alliance". |
| Earlier, the government rejected an opposition call for a postponement after last week's flawed state polls. | Earlier, the government rejected an opposition call for a postponement after last week's flawed state polls. |
| There were violent clashes and cases of vote rigging, mostly in the oil-rich south. | There were violent clashes and cases of vote rigging, mostly in the oil-rich south. |
| NIGERIAN ELECTION 21 APRIL 60m registered voters120,000 ballot boxes24 presidential candidates Main contenders: | |
| The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 27 of the 34 state contests declared. Two elections were postponed because of irregularities. | The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 27 of the 34 state contests declared. Two elections were postponed because of irregularities. |
| The BBC's Will Ross in the capital, Abuja, says the move will come as welcome news for the governing PDP as it will split the opposition vote. | The BBC's Will Ross in the capital, Abuja, says the move will come as welcome news for the governing PDP as it will split the opposition vote. |
| The governing party is also well aware that had the opposition boycotted the election, the entire legitimacy of the polls would have been brought into question, he says. | The governing party is also well aware that had the opposition boycotted the election, the entire legitimacy of the polls would have been brought into question, he says. |
| Opposition politicians accuse the governing party of trying to rig the election and suggest the electoral commission is far from independent. | Opposition politicians accuse the governing party of trying to rig the election and suggest the electoral commission is far from independent. |
| The PDP says the opposition is crying foul because it knows it will lose Saturday's presidential and legislative elections. | The PDP says the opposition is crying foul because it knows it will lose Saturday's presidential and legislative elections. |
| Split | Split |
| The boycott had been favoured by the Mr Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC) party. | The boycott had been favoured by the Mr Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC) party. |
| You have to do all you can to collect some water before the electricity goes off... it's not a tea party Edith ObetaPetty trader, Kagadama Water wars in arid north Can texts make voting fairer? | You have to do all you can to collect some water before the electricity goes off... it's not a tea party Edith ObetaPetty trader, Kagadama Water wars in arid north Can texts make voting fairer? |
| "We shall not boycott. I repeat, we shall not boycott and we will participate fully in the National Assembly elections and the presidential elections," said All Nigeria People's Party chairman Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, who is also Mr Buhari's running mate. | "We shall not boycott. I repeat, we shall not boycott and we will participate fully in the National Assembly elections and the presidential elections," said All Nigeria People's Party chairman Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, who is also Mr Buhari's running mate. |
| "The party has decided that as true and patriotic democrats, we do not want to unconsciously become tools in the hands of the PDP-led government in their tenure elongation programme." | "The party has decided that as true and patriotic democrats, we do not want to unconsciously become tools in the hands of the PDP-led government in their tenure elongation programme." |
| Mr Abubakar's participation in the poll was only confirmed on Tuesday by the election commission, after a Supreme Court ruling on Monday. | Mr Abubakar's participation in the poll was only confirmed on Tuesday by the election commission, after a Supreme Court ruling on Monday. |
| The Independent National Election Commission (Inec) had disqualified him because of charges of corruption, which he denies. | The Independent National Election Commission (Inec) had disqualified him because of charges of corruption, which he denies. |
| Many Nigerians fear further violence on Saturday, which should lead to the first handover of power in Africa's most populous nation from one civilian administration to another. | Many Nigerians fear further violence on Saturday, which should lead to the first handover of power in Africa's most populous nation from one civilian administration to another. |
| Meanwhile, in the northern city of Kano, the military says it is continuing to clear a group of Islamic militants away from the Panshekara district on the outskirts of the city after two days of clashes, which have left at least 38 people dead. | Meanwhile, in the northern city of Kano, the military says it is continuing to clear a group of Islamic militants away from the Panshekara district on the outskirts of the city after two days of clashes, which have left at least 38 people dead. |