Collation of presidential election results begins

Doosuur Iwambe -Abuja

The National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced collation of results of the Presidential and National Assembly election. This is coming two days after millions of Nigerians voted in general elections. A total of 73 candidates are in the presidential race, according to INEC, including incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, and a former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who are the front line flag bearers. The National Assembly election has hundreds of candidates across 91 registered political parties jostling for the 109 available seats in the Senate and the 360 spots in the House of Representatives. After an intriguing period of political drama and campaigning heralded by defections and war of words, and the postponement of polls by a week, it is time for Nigerians to give their verdict. In all, 84,004,084 citizens registered for the elections, 72,755,502 of that number have Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and are expected to vote in the 119,973 polling units spread across the 36 states and the nation’s capital Abuja.