Seven or eight bombs went off within minutes in Maiduguri two hours before voting was to start in Nigeria’s general election. Casualty figures were not yet available at 10am. Boko Haram terrorists were suspected.
Across the country, there were reports of arrests of mainly opposition party members by soldiers and police on flimsy excuses.
Election materials did not reach many polling stations by 10am, two hours behind commencement time. Card readers rejected genuine voters in some units.
Large crowds of enthusiastic voters turned out in many cities. Most millennials are voting for the first time.
Chieftains of the APC and the PDP were said to be bribing voters. Pictures of bullion vans arriving in the home of an APC chief in Lagos trended on the social media Friday night. The PDP had alleged that the ruling APC had emptied the Central Bank to withdraw over $100m in cash for bribing of voters.
Nigerians are voting to elect their president and representatives at the Senate and House of Reps.
