As Nigeria awaits final results in Saturday’s elections, both leading parties are trading accusations on electoral interference and the legitimacy of the results.

“Our democracy is under threat of derailment,” said the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that results issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria are fraudulent and favor President Muhammadu Buhari though their candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is really in the lead.

“Officials of both President Buhari’s government and the All Progressive Congress (APC), working with INEC officers, have tried to alter the course of history and disenfranchise our people through the cancellation and manipulation of figures for results,” the PDP said in a statement Monday.

The APC and INEC are in collusion, the PDP said, and they’re using the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to silence the opposition.

Meanwhile, Buhari’s camp condemned PDP pressure to declare Abubakar the winner, and said the PDP allegations are dangerous and destabilizing.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done a good job despite the challenges and the delays experienced in some cases,” said the APC presidential campaign. “We urge our international friends, observers and patriotic Nigerians not to be deceived.”

Meanwhile, INEC continued to release official results late into Monday night, with Buhari showing an early lead but strong showing for the PDP in states including Ebonyi and Enugu.

Image: Femi Adesina/President Muhammadu Buhari