Nigeria’s gubernatorial elections to be held on Tuesday

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Nigeria's gubernatorial elections will be held on Tuesday even as the oil rich African country grapples with thick clouds of violence in which over 200 people were killed following the recent presidential elections.

Members of state legislative houses will also be voted for alongside few federal parliamentary seats postponed for logistic reasons.

The presidential polls held on April 16 was followed by riots in some Northern states as soon as it became obvious that results were going to favour incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and despite the refusal of authorities to release a casualty figure, an NGO said more than 500 were murdered.

Young supporters of his defeated major opponent, former military dictator, general Muhammadu Buhari took to the streets killing and burning houses.

Jonathan, a Christian from the south belongs to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Buhari a Muslim from the north is of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Government reviewed internal security ahead of the polls following intelligence reports about plans by some people to derail the process. Young college graduates who were used in the last elections were flown home from the north before the commencement of today's exercise.

"We evacuated 150 young college graduates on compulsory on year youth service scheme from Bauchi," said commissioner for environment in southern Ogun state Adeleke Adedoyin.

Curfew was imposed from 10 pm yesterday till 6 am today while restriction of movement remains in place throughout the voting period.

"About 15,000 security personnel have been deployed to 8,074 polling centres across the 44 local government areas of Kano State for the hitch-free conduct of Tuesday's governorship and state house of Assembly elections," said Dan'Azumi Doma, police commissioner on election duty in Northern Kano state.

Due to security concerns, elections were differed in states of Kaduna and Bauchi which were the most affected during the uprising.

But turnout may be lower than the past federal legislative and presidential process due to fear of security following the violence and bomb explosions in the city of Maiduguri during the week in which three people were killed and dozens injured.

A threat coming from deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram that more attacks would follow may also affect the turnout.

In the South, the turnout of voters will not be affectedby the northern incidence as voters appear even more enthusiastic than the previous polls.

Lagos state resident electoral commissioner, Adekunle Ogunmola said all preparations have been made.

"We have distributed the sensitive materials and we have put the necessary logistics in place," he told reporters.

This year's elections have been seen by local and foreign observers as a big improvement considering the rate of ballot stuffing, rigging and polls day violence witness during the presidential elections of 2007.

Nigeria, a country of 150 million people returned to democracy after many years of military rule in 1999.