Africa's most populous country has struggled with electoral violence, widespread claims of fraud and court challenges to results since returning to democratic civilian rule in 1999.
Nearly 80 percent of Nigerians distrust the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to a recent survey by the pan-African survey group Afrobarometer, just days before the country chooses a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Most elections have been marred by vote buying, ballot box snatching, over-voting or even a failure to conduct elections where they’re supposed to," said the author of the Afrobarometer study, Raphael Mbaegbu.
"INEC has a lot of work to do to let people know how independent they are," he told AFP Fact Check.
Nigeria still faces huge challenges including a sluggish economy and growing poverty ( AFP / Michele Spatari)
After eight years under Buhari, Nigeria still faces huge challenges, from attacks by jihadists and separatists to a sluggish economy and growing poverty, leaving many of its 39 million eligible voters desperate for change.
But many have little faith in the electoral process, which in the past has been plagued by intimidation, violence and vote rigging.
"My hopes, my excitement about this election is nonexistent," said Deji Adeyanju,...
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