Nigeria: Gubernatorial elections see swing towards Buhari’s APC party

Results in Nigeria’s gubernatorial elections saw a swing toward president-elect Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party on Monday, two weeks after it made history by unseating the incumbent in a presidential poll.

Eight states have so far abandoned the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) of defeated president Goodluck Jonathan in favor of the APC – which now has a total of 20 states, more than half of the territories up for grabs against the PDP’s 13.

The results completed an unprecedented shift in Nigerian politics, away from the PDP which has dominated since the end of military rule in 1999. These elections mark the first time since independence in 1960, that a ruling party has been forced out by the ballot box.

Nigeria’s 36 state governors are among the most powerful politicians in the country, controlling budgets bigger than those of many African countries and wielding influence that can decide which candidates go on presidential tickets.

Jonathan’s supporters took some heart by holding onto the strategically vital southern oil hub of Rivers state, in a landslide victory announced on Monday.

The gubernatorial elections were held in just 29 states on Saturday, since 7 had already been settled in by-elections over the past few years.

Buhari, who won a decisive victory in the March 28 presidential poll and a majority in both legislative houses, takes power on May 29.

Better technology in these gubernatorial elections has meant far less fraud than in past.

Regional observers have congratulated Nigeria for an electoral process that has gone generally went well across the country.

One state remained with the minor opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance party, while one was deemed inconclusive and one had yet to be announced by the electoral commission by Monday by 12.30 pm local time (7:30 am EDT).

Source: Reuters