The others are Kano State Governor, Mohammed Shekarau of the All Nigeria People Party, ANPP, former anti-corruption chief, Nuhu Ribadu and incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP.

"I thank Nigerians for the large turnout during the National Assembly elections held last Saturday and urge them all to turn out en masse during the presidential elections next Saturday, and the subsequent elections, to vote for candidates of their choice," Mr Jonathan said while receiving in Abuja former leader of the African Union AU Election Observation Mission to the Nigerian Presidential Elections, John Kufuor.

John Kufuor who is the former President of Ghana is in Africa's most populous country with other election observers from West Africa [ECOWAS] and the European Union [EU] to monitor the elections.

INEC ready

Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], Professor Attahiru Jega, while receiving delegations of international observer missions from ECOWAS and the EU, said the electoral body was ready for a smooth presidential poll.

"All materials that we need are already on the ground and distributed in the states and from the reports we are getting in many of the states, actual distribution and deployment to particularly far-flung corners of the states has already commenced and there is very good working relationship between our officers and security agents," the Nigerian Tribune quoted Jega as saying on Thursday."

Nigeria kick started its general election with parliamentary polls last Saturday April 9 after initial postponements over logistics and election materials. The elections could still not hold in some districts across the country because election materials were not adequate. Voting had started in some districts before the initial postponement. Parliamentary polls would now hold in the affected districts alongside governorship elections on April 26.

Background

The 2011 general election is the fourth beginning from 1999 when a democratic government was installed after years of military rule.

Previous elections have been marred with allegations of electoral fraud. Late Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua admitted the election that brought him to power in 2007 might not have been free and fair, which made him to set up an electoral reform group whose report the government is already implementing after amendments.

But international observers have so far described this current election as a major break by a ‘bad past’ in spite of pockets of complaints. INEC has vowed to address. For example, the electoral commission is looking to resolve the crisis resulting from a senatorial district were both candidates, former Minister of Information and Communications, Dora Akinyili and former governor, Chris Nigige are claiming victory in last Saturday’s parliamentary poll.