A car bomb went off near a stadium in the northeastern Nigerian city of Gombe on Monday, a few minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan left a party rally there. Witnesses in the northeastern city of Gombe, said the explosion happened at 3:10 pm (1410 GMT) some three minutes after Jonathan's departure. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although suspicion is likely to fall on Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has attacked Gombe several times. On Sunday a suicide bombing near a mosque in the market area there killed five people and wounded eight. Jonathan had been speaking to supporters of his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as part of his bid for re-election at polls in two weeks' time. His appearance in the city came just a day after two blasts in the city, including one that targeted a military checkpoint. At least five people were killed. Nigeria is due to hold presidential elections on Feb. 14, pitting the ruling People's Democratic Party's Jonathan against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari for the opposition All Progressives Congress. Both candidates are wrapping up their campaigns for what is expected to be the most closely fought election since the end of military rule in 1999.
