20110430
reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's ruling party has won delayed governorship elections in two northern states where hundreds died in rioting after a vote two weeks ago.

The state governorship races are the last stage of a month-long election process deemed by observers and many Nigerians to have been the fairest in decades, despite some of the country's worst political violence for years.

Goodluck Jonathan won an April 16 presidential vote a week after his ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) lost a chunk of its large majority in the national assembly, in elections that were set back seven days by logistical glitches.

Results show the PDP won governorship elections held in the northern states of Bauchi and Kaduna on Thursday. The votes were delayed by two days in what the electoral commission said was an attempt to allow "tempers to cool".

Turnout for the polls was low as voters feared a repeat of the bloody protests in northern cities after Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was declared winner of the presidential vote, defeating northern Muslim Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDP has won 18 of the 24 governorship elections held last week but those in Imo state were inconclusive and there will be further votes on May 6 to decide the result.