Follow live coverage of Nigeria's presidential elections from TELL correspondents nationwide
(Photos of voters in Nigeria's presidential elections)
6:52pm: As instructed by Jega, copies of results were conspicuously posted at polling stations. Meanwhile, voting is still on in some high density areas. Turn out of voters in the FCT and Nassarawa is put at 30 percent in most polling units. -Anayochukwu Agbo in Abuja
6:40pm: Olusola Saraki, the embattled godfather of Kwara state politics did not vote at the presidential election today. Some said he was indisposed, but others insist that the old man had not recovered from the shock of the defeat of his party last week. Muyiwa Lucas in Kwara
5:35pm: "Nigerians want a leader that will listen to them. Nigerians want a leader that is a friend of all and has no enemy. Nigerians want a leader that will usher in an era of peace, progress and development. And above all Nigerians want a man that is God-conscious, God-fearing and loves the people that he leads. And I think these exemplary qualities of total commitment, devotion to the people and God are the kind of quality and chracter that Nigerians want at this point in time of our nation's history," said Oronto Douglas, an aide of President Jonathan in Otuoke after the president voted today. -Adekunbi Ero in Bayelsa
4:36pm: Voting in Gwarinpa, Abuja's largest estate is like climbing a mountain. Over 3000 voters are fighting for voting space there as late as 4:20pm. It is estimated that voting would still be on going at 7pm. Hundreds of people could not find their names on the voters register. To calm their anger, three lines were created for them with a promise that they will vote. A reinforcement of policemen just arrived to contain the increasingly restive crowd. -Anayochukwu Agbo in Abuja
3:54pm: Former governor of Oyo State, Lamidi Adesina has observed that a run off election might be necessary to determine the winner of today's presidential election. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN big-wig in the state who made the observation after casting his vote in Ibadan feared that a winner might not emerge in the first ballot. However, Taofeek Arapaja, the state deputy governor said he was sure his party, PDP would win the election. Arapaja has just voted at the Kudeti area of the state capital. Counting of votes is expected to begin soon in the state. –Arukaino Umukoro in Ibadan
3:35pm: About 200 empty ballot boxes piled in a commercial bus with Lagos registration number MX 210 EKY have been intercepted by the police at Eko Boys High School area in Mushin. -Folashade Adebayo
3:25pm: Sorting and counting of ballot papers have started at most polling units within Owerri metropolis. INEC officials attribute this to early conclusion of voting. -Chikodi Okereocha in Owerri
2:36pm: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived at his polling unit at Ita-Eko around 12:40pm flashing a victory sign. When asked what the sign is for, he said today's election will further solidify [the party's victory]. Stella Sawyerr in Abeokuta.
2:30pm: Voter turn out in Karu, Mararaba, Masaka and Keffi roads in Nassarawa state is massive. Polling stations are barely 100 metres apart and are all overflowing with enthusiastic voters. However, some polling stations are located in the compounds of traditional rulers. -Anayochukwu Agbo in Nassarawa state
2:27pm: Heavy presence of soldiers and armour tanks at Mushin. At Babalosha Idiaraba ward 11 Unit 7, Tajudeen Olatunbosun the presiding officer sat idle with his officials. He said only 81 people were accredited out of 365 on the voters list. -Folashade Adebayo
2:21pm: After casting his vote, ACN presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu pledged to accept the results of the election expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the election in his Unit 8 Bako Ward in Yola. -Raymond Mordi in Adamawa
2:14pm: "From the last election, Nigerians have spoken that PDP is the party for Nigerians and we are convinced that PDP will also win, insha Allah. Violence should be avoided during this election. Let us have a free and fair election," said VP Namadi Sambo after he voted in Kaduna. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
2:09pm: Senator Ibikunle Amosun, governorship candidate of the ACN in Ogun state attributes low turnout to poor sensitisation of voters on the importance of the presidential election. -Stella Sawyerr in Abeokuta
2:05pm: At polling units visited in Ibadan, Oyo State, people who have voted hang around to, in their words, monitor their votes. "We must see the change through", said one voter. Only agents whose parties have presidential candidates were allowed by the state INEC officials to stay at the polling units. -Arukaino Mukoro in Oyo
1:56pm: Muhammadu Buhari, CPC presidential candidate has commended INEC for being alert and proactive to prevent rigging. Explaining why his party did not perform to expectation during the last National Assembly elections, he alleged that the PDP rigged the election at the collation centres and that his party has adopted measures to prevent recurrence. He is hopeful of winning the presidential election. -Tajudeen Suleiman in Daura.
1:45pm: After casting his vote, Vice President Sambo spoke with journalists and urged Nigerians to shun violence and ensure the election is peaceful. He, however, expressed high hopes that the PDP would win the election. –Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
1:41pm: Vote counting has started in Abanda village ward 09, Marafa Pepele. 185 people were registered but 87 were accredited. Agents of PDP, CPC and ACN at the ward say they are satisfied about the process. From Muyiwa Lucas in Kwara
1:32pm: President Goodluck Jonathan, candidate of the ruling PDP told media after voting in Otuoke his hometown in Bayelsa state that the elections have gone a long way to deepen democracy. He said it has proved that his administration meant the promise to ensure a free and fair exercise. He also said that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was given the needed freedom to conduct the exercise. -Adekunbi Ero in Bayelsa
1:31pm: Voting is going on peacefully at polling units 042, 043,044 and 045 all in Ward 3, Idimu-Egbe area of Lagos State. At polling units 042 and 044, the queue is already thinning out while in polling units 043 and 045 long queues are still visible. -Folake Olagunju, Lagos State
1:30pm: The Vice President has just voted. There are no incidents as police officers are going around to warn voters against cheering, booing or clapping when the VP is around. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
1:26pm: The low turn out of voters in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state is attributed to officials of the PPN who were alleged to have gond round town informing the populace that there would be no election today.
1:25pm: Accreditation has ended and voting has commenced at Lajolo and Marafa villages in Ilorin West LGA. Polling officer here says that though turnout is good, it was lower than last week’s figures. 128 people were accredited out of 258 registered voters. Wakili Ibrahim, a leper in Lajolo village, though registered and got a voter card, could not trace his name in the register. The polling officer said his case must have fallen under the category of special people who did not return for verification. Wakili told our correspondent that he is pained that he is unable to vote. –Muyiwa Lucas in Kwara.
1:17pm: Votingis going on at Onigbongbo Ward 8 Unit 11 with average turn out of voters. -Folashade Adebayo
1:16pm: Mohammed Saley, a retired general and CPC senator-elect, Kaduna Central, has described the election as peaceful, smooth, and a model election. -Aydoeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
1:11pm: Presidential candidate of FDP Rev Kris Okotie and VP candidate of the CPC Pastor Tunde Bakare have now voted. -Folashade Adebayo in Lagos
1:10pm: Security presence at the VP's polling unit is huge with over 80-armed police officers. Nwadiba Ekechukwu, deputy commissioner of police, said security has to be beefed up because of plots by some people to embarrass highly placed government officials and to continue campaigns during the polls. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
1:09pm: Buhari said he will not go to court if he loses but that hi sparty might. -Tajudeen Suleiman in Daura
1:04pm: Voting has commenced in the Oke Ira area of Lagos state. The turn out is massive and there are long queues in the wards. Conduct has also been very peaceful. -Isiaka Yusuf
1:03pm: Voting is on in many polling stations in the FCT while accreditation continues in others. Many votes will be invalidated because the collapsible ballot boxes cannot stand again so the ballot papers have been squashed together while still wet. -Anayochukwu Agbo in Abuja
1:00pm: Voting has commenced in different parts of Ogun state even though there is low turn out. -Stella Sawyerr in Ogun
12:57pm: Voting continues peacefully in most polling units within the Agege area of the Lagos Metropolis and there has been no sign of trouble or violence of any sort. Queue of voters appear to be moving fast as people vote and leave the queue.
-Juliana Ezeoke, Lagos State
12:50pm: Buhari votes. He said that he received reports of ballot box stuffing and other acts that indicate plans to rig by PDP. He voted amidst a rowdy crowd of admirers that shouted good wishes at him. -Tajudeed Suleiman in Daura.
12:41pm: "Nigeria is now experiencing true democracy, the power belongs to the people". President Jonathan after voting in Otuoke, Bayelsa state.
12:40pm: Voting starts at Opebi Grammar School at 12:30pm. Folashade Adebayo
12:37pm: Voting commences at Mustapha Primary School, Bako Ward in Yola where Nuhu Ribadu registered. In the three polling units with the complex, Bako 8, 9 & 10, a total of 417, 617 and 400 persons respectively were duly accredited. -Raymond Mordi in Yola, Adamawa state
12:21pm: Voting starts at polling units 066 and 038 within the Ilepo Area of Agege, Lagos State. In unit 066, a total of 195 voters were accredited and they have started voting by now. Security is not particularly tight within the Agege metropolis but there are security men attached to the polling units. -Juliana Ezeoke, Lagos State
12:21pm: Only 672 voters were accredited at VP Namadi Sambo's polling unit out of 1193 registered voters. It is a drastic reduction from last week's figures. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
12:17pm: As voters’ accreditation comes to an end at about 12noon, crisis appears to be brewing among party agents in polling units 037 and 038 in the Ile Epo bus stop area of Lagos State. Party agents argue over when proper voting should commence. While some want voting to commence by 12noon, others insist that it should commence by 12.30pm. Security men attached to the polling units are having a difficult time trying to control the situation. Accredited voters are already on the queue waiting to be counted before the commencement of voting exercise. -Juliana Ezeoke in Lagos
12:12pm: Voters turnout in the FCT is very impressive. With the number of people still on the queue after midday, it means that accreditation will take a little longer than usual. -Anayochukwu Agbo in Abuja
12:11pm: Officials still battling with accreditation at the Opebi Grammar School polling centre. -Folashade Adebayo in Lagos
12:10pm: Conduct of voters is peaceful as voting is now on at most polling centres in Umuneke, headquarters of Ngo Okpala, local government area, Imo State. Chikodi Okereocha in Owerri.
11:59am: After protests by local journalists for an interview, Muhammadu Buhari, CPC presidential candidate, said the level of desperation of the PDP is worrisome. He was commenting to reporters on allegations of vote buying and rigging. He said he had no doubt of the credibility of international observers. Tajudeen Suleiman in Daura.
11:56am: Women turn out en masse in rural areas in Katsina State. Some trek up to two kilometers to vote because the polling units are far apart. Tajudeen Suleiman in Daura.
11:55am: There are allegations that students of Federal University of Technology , FUTO, are being used as INEC presiding officers for the presidential and gubernatorial elections by Governor Ikedi Ohakim and Viol Onwuliri, VC, of FUTO, and running mate to Ohakim. -Chikodi Okereocha in Owerri.
11:53am: Accreditation is going on smoothly at Vice President namadi Sambo's polling ward in Kaduna. Security is tight and the VP has now been accredited. Locals screamed "Sai Buhari" as the VP emerged into public. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
11:52am: Muhammadu Buhari, CPC presidential candidate declined to talk to the local press immediately after he was accredited at Serikin Yara A Ward, Daura. Journalists protest in front of his house for agreeing to talk to only Reuters. Tajudeen Suleiman in Daura.
11:50am: Accreditation now in progress at most polling centres in Owerri North local government of Imo State following the arrival of materials at about 11:45am. There is a large turn out of voters and accreditation is generally peaceful. Chikodi Okereocha in Owerri.
11:30am: INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna has declared as illegal the votes cast at a ward in Zaria because the accreditation and voting commenced at the same time against INEC's regulation that voting should start by 12.30P.M. across the country. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
11:23am: At Ibogun the ancestral home of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in Ogun state, villagers are going about their normal business. Some claim they cannot find their pictures on the the voters' register. -Stella Sawyerr in Ogun state
11:20am: Tunde Bakare of the CPC expresses lack of confidence in INEC chair Attahiru Jega saying "he is like a decent man in a soak away pit." -Folashade Adebayo in Lagos
11:09am: An abandoned Volkswagen Audi that was parked near the Otazi Playground polling centre in Otuoke where President Jonathan will vote was towed away by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the State Security Services as officers of the Bomb Disposal Unit combed the area. Our correspondent says that the car with Bayelsa registration number AM 660 YEN was considered a security risk when the owner could not be identified in spite of the frantic search. The trunk was forced open and searched before it was towed away. Turn out is impressive at the unit. -Adekunbi Ero in Bayelsa state
11:00am: At Bajabure Housing Estate in Girei LGA, Adamawa state, the turn out is high. Bulama Musa, a retired staff sergeant attributes this to the importance of the presidential election. -Raymond Mordi in Adamawa state
10:53am: A local PDP politician was almost beaten to death in Tundun Wada, Kaduna South for distributing money to voters. Tundun Wada is a CPC area. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
10:50am: ACN presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu gets accredited in Yola, Adamawa state.
10:42am: Bukola Saraki, governor of Kwara state has been accredited at ward 4 , Ajikobi . He came in a vehicle with registration number AE 178 PTG amidst shouts of 'SAI BUKKY'. His wife Toyin was however not with him. She is bereaved , her brother , Gboyega Ojora was buried in Lagos yesterday. -Muyiwa Lucas in Ilorin
10:40am: In Ibadan, Oyo state, voters started coming out in trickles for accreditation for the presidential election as early as 7.55am. The turn-out was light at the beginning as voters' interest seems fixed on the governorship election. INEC officials reported on time as people moved around polling stations. At Akingbile/Oluana Grammar School in Akinyele local government area of Ibadan, for instance, accreditation is going on smoothly at Ward 5 units 1 and 2 with 1,465 and 1,502 registered voters respectively. -Arukaino Umukoro in Oyo state
10:24am: Voters turn out is a bit low at polling unit 007 in the Akute area of Ogun State. In spite of this, the area is calm as INEC officials and materials are available and awaiting the arrival of voters. -Tomi Oyelere in Ogun State
10:23am: INEC officials are idle at Ewekoro in Ifo LGA of Ogun state because voters are coming out in trickles. While in some areas only the officials aand party agents are on ground. -Stella Sawyerr in Ogun state
10:17am: President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience get accredited in Otuoke, Bayelsa state.
10:16am: CPC candidate Muhammadu Buhari greeted by huge crowd as he arrives to get accredited in Daura his home town. Dressed in a white baban riga and cap to match, Buhari tells the crowd to calm down as he checks his name on the register.
10:10am: Rev. Kris Okotie, presidential candidate of the FRESH Democratic Party, FDP, has been accredited in the company of his wife Stephanie at Opebi Grammar School. Roli Bode George, wife of the recently returned from prison PDP stalwart Bode George avoided Okotie her former pastor. She is permanently at the polling centre to hold brief for the PDP. -Folashade Adebayo
10:08am: There is a violation of the movement restriction order on the streets of Yola. Commercial motorcycle riders are conveying people from one location to another. Similarly, most of the vehicles on the roads do not have the "on election duty" tag. -Raymond Mordi in Yola
10:07am: Some party agents storm polling units to buy voters' cards. The development caused commotion at polling units along Yahaya Abubakar road. It took the intervention of the police to restore normalcy. Some voters interviewed in Hausa said the men were PDP agents offering N500 per voter's card. Tajudeen Suleiman in Katsina.
10:02am: Tunde Bakare, the vice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change has just been accredited at Opebi Grammar School ward 10 unit 2 in company of his wife. -Folashade Adebayo
9:51am: A large gathering of voters is seen at Polling units 42, 43, 44 and 45 in the Egbe-Idimu local government area of Lagos State and accreditation of voters is ongoing. - Folake Olagunju in Lagos State.
9.46am: A large turnout of voters is seen around polling units 037 and 038, ward 10, Ilepo, Lagos State. The people have come out in their large numbers and some of them are being paid N1, 000 each to vote for the CPC. - Juliana Ezeoke, Lagos State
9:35am: It took a while for voters to start coming out in Abeokuta. At Ibara housing estate, INEC staff have been on ground but voters are taking their time. -Stella Sawyerr in Abeokuta
9:28am: Accreditation yet to commence and voting materials yet to arrive at most polling stations in Uratta, Owerri North ocal government area s well as in Ngor Okpala LGA in Imo state. -Chikodi Okereocha in Imo
9:26am: Early and mass turn out of people in Katsina, Daura, Malumfashi, Funtua, and other major towns in Katsina the home state of Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the CPC. Accreditation started since 8am and has been peaceful so far. Voters interviewed said the presidential election is very important to them. -Tajudeen Suleiman in Katsina
9:03am: Aina Bamgbose, 53, an accredited voter at Ojodu-Berger told our correspondent that she last voted on June 12, 1993 but is impressed by the process and will vote today. -Ololade Adewuyi in Lagos
8:57am: More than 100 voters are out at PU 11, New Police Post, around Ribdau Square in Yola. Last week 2000 people were reported to have voted in the area. -Raymond Mordi in Yola.
8:50am: There is so much enthusiasm amongst voters in Kaduna South. As early as 6:30am, many people had arrived at various polling units. Turn out is far better than last week. -Ayodeji Adeyemi in Kaduna
8:37am: Friday Joseph, 32, an accredited voter at Ojodu-Berger tells our correspondent that he's only voting to ensure continuity. However, the biggest problem he would like the new government to fix is electricity. -Ololade Adewuyi in Lagos
8:35am: As early as 8am, voters in Yola, Adamawa state began to troop pout for accreditation at various polling stations in the state capital. -Raymond Mordi in Yola
8:24am: Kwara Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Tsafe arrests TELL reporter in Ilorin and his okada driver while moving around to cover the elctions in spite of proper accreditation. Tsafe leads his men on no movement enforcement. -Muyiwa Lucas in Ilorin.
8:00am: Accreditation commences in many polling centres nationwide as Nigerians go to elect a new president. This is the fourth election since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. The Peoples Democratic Party has won all previous elections before now.
7.27a.m: INEC officials and materials have arrived at unit 037 and 038, ward 10, Old Otta road, Ilepo bus stop, Lagos State. Some voters too have started trickling out but the officials asked them to wait until 8a.m for the exercise to take off officially.- Juliana Ezeoke, Lagos State
(Photos of voters in Nigeria's presidential elections)
