Nigerian election erupts in riots

ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan won the oil-rich country’s election Monday as riots swept across the Muslim north and left buildings ablaze and people hiding in their homes, highlighting the religious and ethnic tensions still dividing Africa’s most populous nation.

The violence cut across 13 states, leaving hundreds wounded. Heavy gunfire echoed through cities, as crowds burned tires and threw stones at security forces.

In a televised address to the nation late Monday, Jonathan called on Nigerians to “quickly move away from partisan battlegrounds and find a national common ground.

“Nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian,” he said, hours after police said an angry mob in Katsina state engineered a prison break.

While Christians and Muslims have shared the same soil in the nation for centuries, the election result showing the Christian president’s more than 10 million vote lead over Muslim candidate Muhammadu Buhari spread accusations of rigging in a nation long accustomed to ballot box stuffing.

Jonathan took office last year only after the country’s elected Muslim president died from a lengthy illness before his term ended, and many in the north still believe the ruling party should have put up a Muslim candidate instead in this year’s election.

Nigeria has a long history of violent and rigged polls since it abandoned a revolving door of military rulers and embraced democracy 12 years ago. However, observers largely said Saturday’s presidential election appeared to be fair, with fewer cases of ballot box thefts than previous polls.

Election chairman Attahiru Jega announced results Monday night that showed Jonathan won 22.4 million votes, compared to the 12.2 million votes of his nearest rival, the former military ruler Buhari.