Nigeria: Electoral success of the ruling party in the run-up to the presidential election

The ruling party's candidate in Nigeria on Sunday won a disputed election as governor of the state of Ekiti in the south-west of the country, a success for President Muhammadu Buhari's camp a little more than six months of the presidential election.

Kayode Fayemi, Congress of Progressives (APC) and former minister, beat outgoing governor Peter Ayo Fayose of the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) after a battle

The election was held without violence but votes were purchased, observers said.

"There was a rain of money in Ekiti. where the PDP and the APC attract voters with cash, "the Vanguard newspaper reported. "I think, unfortunately, that's part of the system," said Sentell Barnes, of the pro-democracy group International Republican Institute of the United States.

"Before the people stuffed the ballot boxes, but it has become more difficult and now some are resorting to the money to influence people, "he added.

The election was considered test-worthy for the popularity of President Buhari and the health of democracy in Nigeria where the next presidential election is to take place in February 2019.

The former general elected in 2015 is the first opponent in Nigeria's history to outweigh the outgoing president in a ballot widely regarded as free and fair.

But after a period of initial optimism, he disappointed that he failed to put an end to the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency, nor to stem the waves of violence that spread across the country.