Nigeria: Voting for general election begins; opposition lawmaker arrested with nearly $500k a day before poll

With Nigerians voting in the general election on Saturday (February 25) to elect a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, an opposition party lawmaker was arrested with almost half a million dollars in cash "for distribution" on Friday. According to police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, officers from the Rivers State Command arrested Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Chinyere Igwe with a cash sum of $ 498,100 inside a bag.

"Also recovered was a list for distribution of the money," Iringe-Koko said in a statement, the news agency AFP reported.

ALSO READ | Nigeria: Opposition senatorial candidate killed days before election

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Separately on Friday, authorities in Lagos State said they discovered $70,300 in the local naira currency that it also suspected was being used for vote buying. For years, elections in Nigeria have been marked by vote-buying. To address this problem, the central bank issued new naira notes in December last year, giving citizens only a few weeks to replace the old ones. However, the currency swap led to a cash crunch which sparked riots in the country.

Nigerians vote in election amid tight security

Nearly 90 million Nigerians are eligible to vote to elect the next president amid widespread security arrangements. Voting has started and early turnout was slow at several polling stations in the economic capital of Lagos.

Around 176,600 polling stations have been set up for citizens to exercise their franchise, a report by the news agency Reuters said. Results of the election will be posted outside the polling stations, and the final tally is expected within five days of voting

Many citizens are hoping that the next president would steer the economy on a new course after years of worsening violence and hardships. The new president would face multiple problems ranging from high inflation, poverty, energy shortages, rampant crime, Islamist insurgency in Nigeria's northeast and industrial-scale oil theft in the south.

A total of 18 candidates are vying for the presidency but analysts see three frontrunners –Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Bola Tinubu, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.