Lagos - Early results yesterday give the party backing Nigeria's former military ruler, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, a slim majority in the national assembly that will take over law-making from the ruling generals.
The lead strengthened Gen Obasanjo's position as favourite to win Saturday's presidential ballot, two decades after he became Nigeria's only army ruler to step down for an elected civilian. An alliance of parties backing a former finance minister, Mr Olu Falae, is close behind Gen Obasanjo's People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Rival rallies are planned by the two former political prisoners over the next five days in different corners of the country.
