Nigeria election: Atiku Abubakar challenges Muhammadu Buhari

Nigerians finally go to the polls on for the country’s general election on Saturday following a last-minute postponement of the vote a week ago.

The main challenger to President Muhammadu Buhari, 76, is the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, 72.

Whoever wins will have to address power shortages, corruption, security threats, and a sluggish economy.

Several hours before polls were due to open on Saturday, residents of the town of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in the country’s north-east, reported hearing several blasts.

Borno is the birthplace of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which had warned it planned to disrupt the elections.

And suspected Islamist militants attacked Geidam town in the north-eastern state of Yobe state, forcing people to flee, residents told the Reuters news agency.