Gabonese voters began casting ballots on Saturday in a presidential election with eight candidates that is widely expected to make junta chief Brice Oligui Nguema the oil-rich central African country’s first elected leader since his 2023 coup.

AFP reports that Around 920,000 voters are eligible to cast their ballots from 7:00 am (0600 GMT), with the polling stations closing at 6:00 pm and final results expected on Monday.

Oligui, the general who led the August 30, 2023, putsch that ended 55 years of iron-fisted dynastic rule by the Bongo family, who were accused of looting Gabon’s wealth, has been leading in opinion polls.

Oligui has predicted a “historic victory” in the election.

Snaking queues were seen outside polling stations in Libreville, the seaside capital.

Aurele Ossantanga Mouila, 30, voted for the first time ever after finishing his shift as a croupier in a casino.

“I did not have confidence in the earlier regime,” he said.Oligui took the role of transitional president while overseeing the formation of a government that includes civilians, tasked with drawing up a new constitution.

The country of 2.3 million people is casting ballots at a time of high unemployment, regular power and water shortages, a lack of infrastructure and heavy government debt.

The Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, sitting at NBA House in Abuja, is set to deliver judgments today, April 12, 2025, on petitions arising from the October 5, 2024, local government elections.

The affected local government areas include Gboko, Tarka, Makurdi, Gwer West, Gwer East, Guma, and Buruku.

The cases are among the most anticipated, following weeks of legal arguments and intense scrutiny over the conduct and outcomes of the elections.

Recall that the tribunal was formally inaugurated to hear appeals resulting from the decisions of the initial Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.

The Appeal Tribunal, chaired by Justice Dennis Igyuse with Justices Michael Ugar and Maimuna Ikwulono as members, was relocated from Makurdi to Abuja in March 2025 due to security concerns and an ongoing judiciary staff strike.

Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission( LASIEC) has announced that Local Government election has been scheduled for Saturday 12th July across all the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas, while run-off/re-run election (if any) will take place on Saturday 19th of July, 2025.

Accordingly, pursuant to Section 21(I) of the Law 2008 (as amended), the Commission has released Notice of Election into the Office (s) of Chairmen and Councilors of Twenty (20) Local government areas, Thirty-Seven (37) Local Council Development Areas and Three Hundred and Seventy-Six (376) Wards of Lagos State.

In a press release signed by the Head, Public Affairs Unit of the Commission, Mr Tope Ojo, stated that as the tenure of the present Local Government Administration is running to an end, the Commission has intensified efforts toward the conduct of an election that will usher in a new administration with the release of the Notice of Election that officially commences the electoral process .

Ojo further stated that all registered Political Parties are therefore required to visit the Headquarters of the Commission to obtain Nomination and other relevant Forms on behalf of their Candidates.

Other highlights of the Notice of Election include the meeting of the Commission with all the registered Political Parties on Tuesday 15th April 2025, while the Publication of Election Guidelines will come up on the 17th of April. 2025.

The release further stated that campaigns and rallies by Political Parties will commence on Friday 18th of April and end on Wednesday 9th of July, 2025, while. closing date for submission of Nomination Forms of “substituted” and “only candidate” by the political parties is between Wednesday 18th June – Wednesday 25th June, 2025.

The Chairman of the Commission Hon. Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd) assures of the level play ground for all the political Parties and promises the electorate of the determination of the Commission to conduct free, fair, inclusive and credible election in line with the best international standard.

She further enjoins political parties and aspirants to adhere strictly with the time table.