The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and his wife, Titi, have voted at Polling Unit 012, Ajiya Ward in the Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The former Vice-President, who addressed journalists, expressed optimism and confidence that he will emerge the winner of the presidential election and succeed President Muhammadu Buhari whose two-term tenure ends on May 29, 2023.

The PDP flag bearer is one of the leading candidates in the race for Aso Rock. Atiku’s major contenders include Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Tinubu cast his vote at a polling unit in Bourdillion, Ikoyi, Lagos State, voting alongside his wife, Remi, and other party chieftains.

Addressing reporters, he said “democracy is here to stay” in Nigeria and that he is “too confident of victory”.

He said the voting process is “going smoothly” and “going well”.

On the turnout of voters, the APC candidate said, “This is expected, we need a good turnout and that is the adoption and the commitment to democracy and the democratic process must take place.”

Asked how certain of victory he is, Tinubu said, “I’m too certain.”

Obi, on his part, patiently queued with other voters alongside his wife, Margaret, rather than take the privilege of early voting. They later voted around 12 noon.

Kwankwaso, who voted around the same time in Kano, complained about the delay in the commencement of voting at the unit. He noted that voting started past 11 O’clock, lamenting that some people might not be able to vote in the end.

Nationwide, officials of the country’s electoral agency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have arrived at some of the 176,606 polling units scattered across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory that make up Nigeria.

Accreditation and voting commenced around 08:30am in some polling units in parts of Nigeria as the 87.2 million voters with Permanent Voter Cards go to the polls to elect a new president and members of the country’s National Assembly.