At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Nigeria

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Goodluck Ebele JONATHAN *
• Head of Government: President Goodluck Ebele JONATHAN
• 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 qualified plurality 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:

• Goodluck Ebele JONATHAN
  • Party: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
• Muhammadu BUHARI
  • Party: Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
• Patrick O. UTOMI
  • Party: African Democratic Congress (ADC)
• Nuhu RIBADU
  • Party: Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
• Mallam Ibrahim SHEKARAU
  • Party: All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP)

Population and registered voters:

• Population: 163,770,669 (2011)
• Registered Voters: 73,528,040 (2011)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 80,479,209 (2011)

·         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: 11 (House of Representatives); 4 (Senate) following the 2011 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: 24,565,600 (est.)