Nigeria prepares for crucial presidential vote Saturday

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Officials in Nigeria are making final preparations on the eve of elections amid concerns about vote buying and violence. Police said Friday that one lawmaker was arrested in southern Nigeria at 2 a.m. with nearly $500,000 in cash and a distribution list. That’s fueling fears that politicians are still trying to buy votes despite the Nigerian government’s efforts to curb the practice. And in the southeast, fears that separatists may target polling stations prompted election workers in parts of Imo state to abandon their posts. The election comes amid a currency shortage in Africa’s most populous nation, raising concerns about whether it will affect voter turnout.