Polling stations opened in Nigeria on Saturday for gubernatorial and state assembly elections to cement power locally for the next four years, after an unprecedented opposition win in the presidential race.
A total of 760 people are running for 29 governor and deputy governor positions, with 5,290 local assembly hopefuls in all of the country’s 36 states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said.
INEC also said the smart card reader will be used compulsorily in all polling stations and that where there are problems, voting can stretch till Sunday.
Some 68.8 million registered voters were having their credentials checked from 8:00 am (0700 GMT), with voting proper due to start on Saturday afternoon.
Nigeria’s main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is tipped to increase its control of states on the back of the presidential win by Muhammadu Buhari against incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan.
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