Nigerian Oil State Voters Sceptical, Security Tigh

Many voters in the oil region that supplies much of Nigeria's wealth had little hope of democratic change.

Many voters in the oil region that supplies much of Nigeria's wealth had little hope of democratic change in Saturday's presidential election despite greatly boosted security around the polls.

"I intend to vote today because it's my right and I have never voted before. But I don't have much confidence in the voting system," said Daniel Ikenna, a trainee pastor.

"The vote of the common man is not necessary in deciding who wins elections in this country," he said as he read a newspaper while waiting for delayed voting materials to arrive.

Security was much tighter than during last week's polls for a new governor and state assembly, when voters and observers in Rivers State reported vote-rigging and intimidation.

Rivers is one of three core oil-producing states in the Niger Delta that have a history of electoral abuses and are plagued by militancy and crime.

Dozens of police, some in riot gear, stood guard outside the offices of the electoral body. Minibuses carrying voting materials had armed escorts. Troops checked every vehicle at numerous roadblocks in the area.

But in a repeat of events last week, ballot boxes and papers arrived late. An hour after the election was supposed to start, there was no voting anywhere in the state capital Port Harcourt.

Private radio station Rhythm FM reported voting was delayed all over Rivers State.

"I am concerned about how they are handling the materials. They should be here already. Only God knows what they are doing with them now," said Thompson Lugbe, a law student waiting to vote in the Aggrey Road area of Port Harcourt.

Theft of ballot papers and result sheets by political party thugs who use them to stuff ballot boxes and falsify results is one of many common rigging techniques in Nigeria.

Other residents said they wanted to vote for change after years of governing by the ruling PDP, but they doubted their vote would count.

"Let another party try now. Maybe another party can succeed where PDP has failed. Last week many ugly things happened which every Nigerian knows. We can only pray that it will be better today," said Cyprian Ukpa-Chukwu, a market trader.

The election was supposed to be for a new president and national assembly. But the electoral body announced just as the polls were due to start that the senatorial election was postponed across the state because ballot papers did not carry the logos of all the parties.

Sebastian Uchenna-Okpala, a jobless political science graduate, said the logistical hitches were only a facade and the real decisions had already been made.

"You can rig an election before, during or after. This one has already been decided," he said.