as for general buhari what do we know about the man? well, he was a former military ruler of nigeria. he's been defeated in the last three presidential elections. he's a muslim from the north of the country and his campaign the based on change and fighting the insurgency of boko haram in the northeast of the country. i just want to take you to that part of the country. the largest city in the north, where my colleague is joining us live. we watch the dramatic pictures of the destruction on tv. what is the reaction being they voted for buhari? >> reporter: well peter, now i am in the hotel but i was out a few minutes ago and the streets remain quiet. stations have all remained closed. most of the people are also indoors. i can't say whether or not they are watching what is happening at the moment. it is quite difficult to know what their reaction is. but, i have been able to speak with some people on the phone who told me that while they remain calm and allow the process to go through until the last moment. >> okay. let's talk about the

i think general buhari has been out of office a long time. i think he realizes it is a different era and if he wibz and brings together a good strong cabinet and rules by democratic means. i think he claims to be committed to that and i think he really means it this time. >> on the campaign trail he has said that nigeria has been reduced to a failed state. do you agree with him? >> i wouldn't go that far. but i think the goodluck jonathan administration has failed to ufn unify the country around the boko haram crisis. that's one of the problems, that issue has become so politicized. and i think goodluck jonathan weakened the military which made it so hard to act against boko haram. so i think there are a lot of problems in the goodluck jonathan administration but i wouldn't call nigeria a failed state and i don't think it has to become one. >> the nigerian military has just recently claimed to have destroyed the boko haram headquarters in guoza and retain the town. is boko haram the biggest threat in nigeria? >> it is a big threat. you can't

general muhammadu buhari is the leader of africa's most important nation. >> it is a new beginning. it is a paradigm shift from the old to the new era. we want change in the country. andrew: for a moment trouble seem to be brewing. a member of the governing pdc interrupted as the results were being read out claiming there was a plot to make the vote, but the moment past and with it fears. president goodluck jonathan called president buhari to concede victory. security played its part. and to rescue the schoolgirls abducted last year. with the economy wobbling many hope that a tough general can cover the corruption still holding nigeria back. mostly, this victory was about an african democracy maturing. a defining moment for nigeria. because for the first time in its history power is being transferred peacefully from one party to its rival. the celebrations continued last night. but a decision link this is likely to have aftershocks. laura: i spoke with andrew asking him if it would be a peaceful handover. andrew: the fact that goodluck jonathan conceded so quickly that phone call wi

four years ago in the north when general buhari lost to goodluck jonathan, about 800 people were killedh. this time around, just two days before the election both men signed a peace pact and called on their supporters to remain peaceful whatever the results. any candidate who doesn't accept the results has the ability to seek redress in the locals. that's what they're telling their supporters. nigerians are hopeful this time optimistic that things will remain calm and that people will not take to the streets. >> whoever takes over has got a lot on their plate. the country's been very much in the international spotlight in recent month, hasn't it? >> reporter: well, just makes you wonder why anybody wants this job in the first place. take a look at the insurgency in the north. boko haram has been around for six years. in the last six weeks, they've recorded some amount of success, but there's still a lot to be done there. then the economy. nigeria is an oil-based economy. and with low oil prices the economy needs to be shored up one way or the other. they've also got to tackle a lack of

from the all-progresses congress party, a retired major general muhammadu buhari is the main contender, running in 2003, 2007, 2011, but lost each time. he's a muslim from the fall arny ethnic group. last july he narrowly escaped a boko haram assist nation attempt. nigeria says it's pushed boko haram out of space in the north. the army announced its success in borneo state on the eve of the election day. >> the nigerian ministry says it cap gurd the boko haram stronghold of gwoza. we have no which of knowing. a nigerian spokesperson gave this statement. >> several terrorists died. many captured in the progress. a lot of ammunition is recovered. the terrors have been destroyed. >> it can't be verified because restrictions have been placed on civil society, human rights organizations and the media in the north-east. al jazeera journalist ahmed idris and another have been confined to their hotel. the army says they don't have the right paperwork. >> the al jazeera news coup has been prominent in reporting in the north-east of the country, and is one of the few, if not only sources of info

general buhari was a failed military dictator he arrested journalists.here today if he was in power, perhaps. francine: what i am in london so i do not risk anything. michael:: there was a groundswell pro-buhari. big turnout is down which is a change. whatever happens, nigeria is in a better place. it has already overtaken south africa to be africa's largest economy. in the next five years it will be twice its size. francine: unfortunately with ibo boko haram insurgency, it has killed around 5000 people. that is something that not a lot of countries have to deal with. give a sense of how difficult is it when you have an electoral race and it is a close call, how much of a difference does a campaign make? michael: campaigns can focus on helping the party get out the vote at that stage. we were called in just before christmas. my joke was it was a year too late. in order to create a campaign that will create momentum you need a lot of time for planning and to initiate it. you cannot imagine david cameron going into the election campaign that started offici

on the ballot incoming president jonathan goodluck and retired general muhammadu buhari. voters faced violence from boko haram. 41 people were killed mainly in the north-east of the country. after a deadly attack gunmen yelled that they had warned people to stay away from the bowls. from from ynonne ndedge in abuja. >> reporter: raphael casts his vote for a president and parliamentians at the provincial station in abuja. things wept smoothly here. this process is happening in 120,000 locations across the country. >> i voted, i believe that it could take us to the level we want to go. under security. education and structure. >> there was some violence in the north. several were killed when boko haram attacked voters going to polling stations. thousands of agents were deployed to protect voters. in the state where there has been election-related violence voter registration was delayed by hours. hundreds died in 2011. voters were undeterred. >> i shouldn't be afraid because i know my hand is behind the creator. and there's nothing that i should fear for. if i do it someone w

on the ballad jonathan goodluck and chief retired general muhammadu buhari. 56 million are registered to vote. we get more. >> raphael cast the vote for president and parliamentarian at the natural assembly office in abuja. he's one of 60 million taking part in an historic exercise. things wept smoothly. this process is happening in 120,000 locations across the country. >> i believe that it can be close to the level we want the country to go. the issue of unemployment security and structure. as expected there was violence in the north. several were killed when boko haram fighters attacked fighters. thousands were deployed to protect voters much in kaduna state, where there has been violence voter registration was delayed by hours. hundreds died in fighting during the last election in 2011, voters were under terred. >> i shouldn't be afraid. my hands are there. there's nothing that i should fear for. choosing my leader is on my hands. even though somebody is angry with what i did, well, it doesn't have anything to do with my life. thousands monitored the vote. permanent cards were used

jonathan goodluck main opponent is bare muhammadu buhari, a retired general that ruled. he ran for president in 2003, 2006 and "11. he's a muslim fulani coming from katsima state >>> nigeria's ministry pushed them out of the state. the army announced a success in borno state on the eve of election day. from the capital we have this report. >> reporter: the nigerian ministry said it has captured a boko haram state. in a rare address a military spokesperson gave the statement. terrorists died. many have been captured in the process. >> the home of the terrorists have been destroyed. >> reporter: it can't be verified. restrictions have been pleased on the society and the media and accessing the north-east. al jazeera journalists have been confined to the hotel since tuesday. the army accused them of operating without accreditation, and they'll be held without further notice. both were embedded with the military. the al jazeera news crew has been prominent in reporting events in the north-east of the country, and has been one of the few, if not only sources of information fr

challenge like of they are seeing in this election with the progressives and that is led by general muhammadu buharimer military dictator. he to power in 1983 after a military coup. this is fourth consecutive time running for president. both sides. when they will win -- feel strongly they will win this time. they are divided along religion and ethnic groups. goodluck jonathan is a christian and muhammadu buhari is a muslim. francine: they are facing economic problems. what does it mean? uche okoronkwo: boko haram rom is one the biggest issues and nigeria. -- is a one of the things issues and nigeria. that is what nigerians are looking for the leader in two -- is looking for the leader to take care of. human rights -- over 5000 people have been killed. we delayed our elections after security issues and the northeast as well. besides boko haram, falling oil prices, political uncertainty and the currency even. the next president has to deal with the fact that the africa's biggest oil producer, two thirds common from oil and the falling oil prices will have an impact and nigeria's currency has lost abou

buhari comes in. he is standing on an anti- corruption ticket, his reporters like ifia malifa regarding him as the only leader can clean up the country. >> the general message every nigerian wants to move forward wants significant change in their life. >> but buhari is not without his own skeletons, he was a former military dictator who ruled nigeria with a iron fist in the eighties before being overthrown himself. >> a change in leadership could mean significant political upheaval for nigeria, the continent's largest oil producer and there are fears there could be repeats of the post election violence the country saw during its last election four years ago, which left hundreds of people dead. >> glor: that was debora patta a wave of trouble hits a popular spring break spot. and a little girl sneaks out for a slushie run on a bus in the middle of the night. when the "cbs evening news" continues. >> glor: it has been an especially busy spring break season for police in panama city beach florida the trouble continued this weekend when seven young victims were shot at a house party. >> here is jericka duncan. >> reporter:. >> three to this location. on

buhari, a muslim from the north, is a retired general who ruled nigeria in the 1980s, following a military he is running on an anti- corruption platform. >> sreenivasan: but hanging over the election, and sidelining normal, election-year issues, is the rise of boko haram. the islamic militant group has killed more than a thousand civilians this year alone, and controls parts of northern nigeria, it recently pledged allegiance to the so-called islamic state. president jonathan cited the threat from boko haram when, in early february, he delayed this election six weeks. now, jonathan says the army has beat back the group, even though many areas in the north will still have no polling stations. just today, the military said it recaptured a northeastern town and destroyed the militants' headquarters in the process. >> a lot of arms and ammunition have been recovered and the administrative headquarters of the terrorists has been completely destroyed. >> sreenivasan: but whether it is actually the nigerian military making those gains is an open question: the nigerian government reportedly has us

. >> yes buhari is known for his very strong anti-corruption stance. in the 80s as military leader, he nigerians generallyre fed up. with military credentials. he's in better place to put down the insurgentcy by boko haram. thatharam. the current perception has-- >> as you say this is a country driven by corruption. economic crisis, slump in oil prices. >> exactly. >> do you get the sense that people are ready for change? >> people are ready for a change. and this has been the most clearly contested. people want a change. and we are nowhere near the end are we. we'll eventually get a result, get a name, but nigeria's election history since 1999, there have been violence and there are signs of it this had time. >> it is incumbent on the president incumbent jonathan and hubari. >> a pleasure to talk with you as always. we all await the results of the nigerian election. thank you very much. >>> the ugandan prosecutor in the trial of al al-shabab members has been shot in the middle of town. a woman said she was attacked by two men following her on a motorcycle as she was traveling home. >>> more in the fighti