President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria looks likely to win a presidential election, but his ruling party could be weakened by the loss of some powerful state governor posts in traditional stronghold.

A parliamentary election, the first of three national ballots in Africa's most populous nation, is due on Saturday after being postponed twice from April 2 because of a fiasco over logistics. The presidential election was pushed back a week to April 16 and the votes for 36 state governors to April 26.

"I deeply share with all Nigerians the understandable feeling of disappointment and frustration that was caused by the postponement," Jonathan said in a national address on Thursday. "I call on you all to come out again, en masse on Saturday and on all subsequent election days, to cast your vote."

Muhammadu Buhari
A poll published by Nigerian newspaper This Day and global research group http://www.ipsos.com/ ">Ipsos showed 62 percent of those asked would vote for Jonathan in the presidential election, with his closest rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, on 23 percent.

The survey showed an almost identical gap between the two top candidates as in a previous poll last month, although both hopefuls picked up points from less popular contenders.

Governors
To win the election in the first round, Jonathan needs to secure 25 percent of the vote in at least two thirds of the states, or else he will face a run-off with his nearest rival. The opinion poll suggested he would secure at least 25 percent of the votes in 32 states and the federal capital Abuja, which would comfortably secure him outright victory.

But the survey also suggested the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) could lose up to seven state governorship positions, weakening the grip it has held on Nigerian politics since the end of military rule in 1999.

Postponements
The poll was carried out between March 20 and April 4, so many respondents gave their views before the postponement of the April 2 election after ballot papers and results sheets failed to arrive across much of the country of 150 million.

Local media have said there could be further postponements to the vote in some areas, including parts of the commercial capital Lagos, although it would only impact a small fraction of more than 73 million registered voters.

Electoral commission INEC gave assurances that all would go as planned. "There are no postponements. The election will go ahead on Saturday," INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu told Reuters.

Nigeria has failed to hold a single credible election since the end of military rule and these polls are seen as a test of how-well entrenched democracy really is.

Source: Reuters