(22 Apr 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior of Independent National Electoral Commission
2. Medium of sign: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
3. Shot of police sitting down
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Prof. Maurice Iwu, Chairman of INEC:
"(Inaudible)... There's a problem in the poll (election) ... whether it's low or high (few or many problems) but I believe it (voter turnout) will not be low enough to challenge the legitimacy of that poll (election). I also believe it (voter turnout) will be higher than that we have percentage wise in any developed country in the world."
5. Exterior of Hilton hotel
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joseph Warioba, Chairman of the Commonwealth Election Observation Mission
"These landmark elections in Nigeria, for the first time we hope the elections will produce a leadership which will receive (the) reins of leadership from a civilian (i.e not a military administration). This is for the first time in the history of Nigeria that it has happened."
7.Wide of press conference
8. Cutaway of journalists
9. Wide of conference audience
STORYLINE
Top opposition candidate Vice President Atiku Abubakar called for the annulment of Nigeria's presidential vote on Sunday, branding the previous day's election as the worst ever conducted in Africa's most populous nation.
Turnout appeared low for Saturday's presidential vote, which was marked by ballot-paper shortages in opposition strongholds, intimidation by thugs and open rigging favouring the ruling party of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Meanwhile, the Transition Monitoring Group, an election-monitoring group claiming 50-thousand Nigerian observers, said the elections had not been held in many of the country's 36 states and had started very late in many others.
Abubakar told reporters that no free and fair election could be arranged by the current electoral commission, which he accuses of partisanship toward the ruling party, or Obasanjo.
He also condemned the conduct of the vote.
The government defended the vote, with Electoral Commission Chairman Maurice Iwu saying on Sunday that the vote was free and fair.
"There's a problem in the poll (election) ... whether it's low or high (few or many problems) but I believe it (voter turnout) will not be low enough to challenge the legitimacy of that poll (election). " he said.
I also believe it will be higher than that we have percentage wise in any developed country in the world," he added.
Electoral officials said they hoped to release results by late Monday.
The presidential winner must gain the most votes nationwide and at least a quarter of ballots cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states. If not, a runoff election would be held within one month.
A new government will take power May 29.
Obasanjo, a former military ruler, won a 1999 election that ended 15 years of near-constant military rule. His 2003 re-election was marked by allegations of massive vote rigging.
He was prevented from running again by constitutional term limits.

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