3 parties claim lead in presidential vote

Each of the three frontrunners in Nigeria’s hotly contested presidential election claimed that they are on the path to victory as preliminary results trickled in two days after Africa’s most populous nation went to the polls over the weekend.

Only four of Nigeria’s 36 states had officially announced results by midday Monday, with three of those going to ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu. The fourth was won by main opposition party candidate Atiku Abubakar. Also in the mix was Peter Obi with the Labour Party.

A winner is not expected to be announced until at least Tuesday. After the previous presidential election in 2019, it took four days for officials to declare a victor.

On Monday, the African Union observer mission said voting had been delayed in more than 80 percent of polling units. The redesign of the Nigerian bank note caused cash shortages nationwide and voters and poll workers had difficulties getting to polling stations Saturday.