article_snippet: Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)A few months before Nigeria's national elections, both main candidates embraced and promised a peaceful election.
article_snippet: Protesters fired gunshots and torched a local electoral office in Nigeria's oil-rich Rivers state as Protesters marched to protest national elections held to elect Nigeria's next President.
article_snippet: the All Peoples Congress says the vote has been rigged, voters intimidated and demanded that the elections held in Rivers state be canceled.
article_snippet: The ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, refutes the accusation, saying a peaceful election was "credible and the result reflects the overwhelming wish of the people of Rivers state to support President Goodluck Jonathan.
article_snippet: Nigeria has just held what are thought to be the closest elections since a return to democracy in 1999 after decades of military rule.
article_snippet: The two main candidates are incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and retired general Muhammedu Buhari.
article_snippet: What is at stake in the protests in Rivers state is not whether Nigeria can hold an election, but can an election hold a "close" election.
article_snippet: And if the opposition believes the opposition has been rigged out of victory by the ruling party, then the protests in Rivers state could spread to NigeriaNigeria.
highlights_snippet: Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and retired general Muhammedu Buhari faced off in election .
  
highlights_snippet: It could be the closest elections since a return to democracy in 1999 after decades of military rule .
  