Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan took an unassailable lead as votes were tallied from around the country today, despite a strong showing by rival Muhammadu Buhari in his mainly-Muslim strongholds.
Tens of millions of Nigerians turned out for the polls, from the tin-roofed shacks of the Niger Delta, Mr Jonathan's southern home region, to the dusty alleyways of Daura, Mr Buhari's village in the north.
Early results showed Mr Jonathan had done well in much of predominantly Christian southern Nigeria, including areas such as the most populous city of Lagos, where his ruling party had struggled in a parliamentary election a week ago.
Mr Buhari, a former military ruler was hoping to at least force a second round against Mr Jonathan.
However, that looked impossible with a Reuters tally of results from 30 of 36 states across Africa's most populous nation showing Jonathan on 20.3 million votes to 10.4 million for Buhari.
First results from heavily Muslim northern states showed Mr Buhari with a wide lead and a high turnout which that could have outweighed his lack of support in the south.
"Across the country it will be close," former government minister Nasir el-Rufai, a Buhari supporter said."My only fear is it will become a north-south issue if we see a situation where Buhari sweeps the north and Jonathan does well in the south. We may have to go to a run-off," he said.
Observers called the election the fairest for decades in Nigeria, where rigged polls have been the norm. There were still suspicions of malpractice in some districts, though, and that could inflame tempers after the count.
Mr Jonathan's officials said there would be no victory claim until results were announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission. They were clearly upbeat.
"This is no time for triumphalism. It is a time for deep reflection, for strengthening the bond of our union and for all of us to work together," Oronto Douglas, a senior advisor to Jonathan, told Reuters.
Mr Jonathan is the first head of state from the oil-producing Niger Delta. Should he become the first sitting president to lose an election, there could be protest in his home region.
But Mr Buhari commands strong grass-roots support in the north, where some believe Mr Jonathan is usurping their right to another four years in power.
Mr Jonathan inherited office after his predecessor, northerner Umaru Yar'Adua, died last year in his first term, interrupting a rotation between north and south.
Reuters