Africa's largest democracy finally goes to vote, a week late

KANO, Nigeria (AP) — A voting card and a metal rod for self-defense are both close at hand in Christopher Obiorah's tiny bookshop but he hopes to use just one of them when Africa's largest democracy goes to the polls on Saturday, one week after a surprise delay.

Four years after one of Nigeria's most peaceful elections, heated rhetoric in a tight race threatens a return to violence along fault lines as ancient as this city, the oldest in West Africa. Northerners versus southerners, farmers against herders, the corrupt savaging the poor.

"This is Nigeria. Anything can happen," the 45-year-old Obiorah said, casually mentioning that his family has machetes at home. "We are ready for them. We are many here. We have done it before."