Nigerian state votes in test for president

Nigeria's Anambra state went to the polls to choose its next governor, with the result viewed as a benchmark of public support for the country's president before a national vote in 2015.
Some 1.8 million voters were registered to decide the successor to incumbent Peter Obi, who steps down in March next year after completing a maximum two, four-year terms.
Fears of violence linked to the yesterday's election saw stringent security measures put in place in the mineral-rich southeast state, with restrictions on movement and a heavy police presence.
The state capital Awka stayed calm throughout the day, with security forces mounting road blocks and patrols, an AFP reporter in the city said.

Most polls had closed by 0030 IST, said Kayode Idowu, a spokesman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Earlier in the day Idowu had said the election was "going fine for now but not without isolated challenges" such as the delivery of election material to some polling stations.

In the town of Obosi, voting was postponed due to delivery problems and will now take place today.
The electoral commission said results were expected in 24 to 48 hours.
In all, 23 candidates are vying for the governorship, including Nigeria's main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which has yet to hold Nigeria's presidency since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999.

A win for President Goodluck Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to be seen as an indicator of public opinion before his expected campaign for re-election in 2015.
Jonathan, a southern Christian, is tipped to run again but has faced dissent within his party from some who believe he should make way for a northern, Muslim candidate.
Vote-rigging and election-linked violence have often marred recent polls in Nigeria. In 2011, some 800 people died in the Muslim-majority north after Jonathan's election.
The last election in Anambra in 2010 was judged "credible" by US observers, although they criticised poor organisation at some polling stations.

On Friday, police said they had arrested more than 200 people who were preparing to enter Anambra, suspecting them of "criminal motives" to disrupt the ballot.