1.
GV. Children running at (District of Shagmau).
0.04

2.
SV. Arrival on horseback of local chief.
0.07

3.
BV. Chief on horse.
0.12

4.
CU. Flag on pole with initials A.G.
0.14

5.
LV. Helicopter arriving.
0.19

6.
SV. Premier Awolowo out of helicopter.
0.24

7.
CU.PAN. Premier Awolowo.
0.27

8.
BV. Walking to building.
0.32

9.
SV. Premier waving to crowd.
0.36

10.
SV. Crowd waving.
0.39

11.
BGV. Of crowds.
0.42

12.
SV. Of Premier seated.
0.45

13.
CU. Ditto.
0.48

14.
SV. Premier looking towards sky.
51

15.
LV. Sign writing in sky.
0.54

16.
SV. Premier watching.
0.57

17.
GV. Crowds at Agodi polling station.
1.02

18.
BV. Of crowds lined up.
1.05

19.
CU. Back view of woman with child on back.
1.09

20.
CU. Sign 'Methodist School' polling station.
1.11

21.
BV. Women at booth.
1.14

22.
SV. Of woman taking fingerprint.
1.19

23.
CU. Hand into bottle.
1.22

24.
CU. Sign polling station.
1.25

25.
GV.PAN. Crowds lined up at court house polling station.
1.32

26.
GV. Of crowds in court house.
1.34

27.
TV. Crowds lined up.
1.39

28.
GV. Crowds Oke-Are area waiting to vote.
1.44

29.
SV. Sign polling station.
1.48

30.
SV. Crowds waiting.
1.49

31.
BV. Crowds waiting.
1.52

32.
SV. Men issuing slips.
1.55

33.
CU. Slips being stamped.
1.58

34.
GV. Another polling station.
2.02

35.
CU. Sign polling station.
2.05

36.
SV. Crowds waiting.
2.09

37.
GV. Of Ibadan.
2.13

38.
SV. Man entering polling booth.
2.16

39.
SV.PAN. Of boxes in polling booth.
2.21

40.
GV.PAN. Crowds outside polling station.
2.25



Initials TDH/S/JH/CW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Nigerian Federal Elections, for three-hundred-and-twelve seats in the new Parliament, has been strenuously campaigned since September by nine-hundred-and-fifty candidates. It's climax - Dec 12 - brought to the polling stations, anxious to cast their vote for leadership of what next year will be the largest independent state in Africa.

Shagmau - 44 miles from Ibadan - was Dec 11 the scene of a typical election-eve campaign meeting by English-educated barrister Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of Western Nigeria, and leader of the Action Group. His dramatic arrival by helicopter was the signal for an elaborate demonstration of sky-writing propaganda. But despite the high-powered campaign managed by imported American publicists, his party is losing all along the line.

Symbols are used to identify the eighteen different parties and additional independent candidates contesting the election. The "Big Three" parties are represented by an adze -- a kind of axe - for the Northern People's Congress; a cockerel for the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons; and a palm tree for the Action Group. Each ballot box bears one of these symbols, and after the choice is made, the voter's thumb is stained to prevent a second attempt.

Final results still being announced Dec 14 indicate an almost certain victory for the Northern People's Congress Party, and the appointment of it's leader, Kabubakar Tafawa Balewa, as the first Federal Prime Minister of the new independent Nigeria.