On Saturday Nigerians are due to vote for a successor to President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has ruled Nigeria since the military relinquished power in 1999. Disputed state elections last have raised concerns about the conduct of the polls and likely consequences for Africa’s most populous nation. William Wallis, FT Africa editor and Dino Mahtani, West Africa correspondent interviewed the Nigerian president in his official residence in Abuja late on Monday night.

FT: Are you concerned at the level of violence and irregularities during state elections last weekend?