Millions of Nigerians turn out to vote in presidential poll

Millions of Nigerians turned out Saturday to vote in a presidential election that analysts say is too close to call between President Goodluck Jonathan and former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari. Nearly 60 million people have cards to vote and determine the outcome of the first election in Nigeria's history where an opposition candidate has a realistic chance of defeating a sitting president.

The vote takes place amid an Islamic insurgency in Nigeria's northeast in which thousands have been killed. Boko Haram extremists waving guns forced voters to abandon polling stations in three villages of northeastern Gombe state, witnesses said. The militants have vowed to disrupt elections, calling democracy a corrupt Western concept.