At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Nigeria

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Olusegun OBASANJO *
• Head of Government: President Olusegun OBASANJO
• Assembly: Nigeria has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate with 109 seats and the House of Representatives with 360 seats.

* The president is both the chief of state and head of government.
The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term). An absolute majority or at least 25% in two-thirds of the states is required for a candidate to be elected in the first round.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Senate 109 members are elected by simple majority vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms*. In the House of Representatives 360 members are elected by simple majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

* Three members are elected from each of the 36 states and one from Abuja.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Umaru Musa YAR'DUA
  • Party: People's Democratic Party (PDP)
• Muhammadu BUHARI(RTD) GCFR
  • Party: All Nigeria Peoples' Party (ANPP)
• Orji Uzor KALU
  • Party: Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)
• Attahiru Dalhatu BAFARAWA
  • Party: Democratic People's Party (DPP)
• Chris O. OKOTIE
  • Party: Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH)
• Patrick O. UTOMI
  • Party: African Democratic Congress (ADC)
• Oladapo AGORO
  • Party: National Action Council (NAC)
• Chukwuemeka ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU
  • Party: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
• Alhaji Aliyu Habu FARI
  • Party: National Democratic Party (NDP)

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential elections were last held on 19 April 2003. Olusegun OBASANJO was elected president with 61.9% of the vote. He was followed by Muhammadu BUHARI with 31.2% of the vote and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU with 3.3%.

Population and registered voters:

• Population: 147,152,502 (2007)
• Registered Voters: 61,567,036 (2007)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 72,431,259 (2007)

·         Is Nigeria a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (23 April 1984)

·         Has Nigeria ratified CEDAW: Yes (13 June 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 25 (House of Representatives); 9 (Senate) following the 2003 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 152 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Nigeria a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Nigeria ratified CRPD: Yes (24 September 2010)

·         Population with a disability: 22,072,875 (est.)