NIGERIA: PRESIDENT OBASANJO REELECTED
April 22, 2003: Outgoing President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo has been re-elected in the first round of the presidential elections. The fact is confirmed by the election results published by the national independent electoral commission of Abuja.
Until now [16:00, 22 April 2003, Ed.] the results from 764 of the country’s 774 town councils have been counted with Obasanjo having already obtained 61.8% of votes cast and at least 25% of the votes in two thirds of the Nigerian Federation, thus satisfying the election criteria for the first round of polling.
Whilst the European Union observer team said the elections in Nigeria were "marred by serious irregularities and fraud in 13 states", two United States-based groups that observed the just concluded presidential/gubernatorial elections, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Inter-national Republican Institute (IRI), as well as Nigeria-based Transitional Monitoring Group (TMG), the nation´s umbrella monitoring body comprising about 170 human rights and civil society organisations, listed only five states that were marked by "significant flaws" during last Saturday´s election. However, Commonwealth observers gave a more positive assessment saying: "in most of Nigeria a genuine and largely successful effort was made to enable the people to vote freely".
Sergio D’Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain, declared: “Obasanjo’s re-election is today the best guarantee in Nigeria for the life of Amina Lawal and others who risk being sentenced to death by the political use of Sharia law as applied by the twelve northern states which have introduced it. Obasanjo’s Nigeria is certainly not an advanced or complete democracy, but what is certain is that a Nigeria without Obasanjo would be closer to the past regime than a democratic future. By reconfirming Obasanjo another step towards democracy has been taken, following almost 15 years of military regimes. Obasanjo’s re-election will also have a positive effect towards the campaign for a UN moratorium on capital executions.During a mission to Nigeria last October by Hands Off Cain, together with Italian and European parliamentarians, Olosegun Obasanjo declared he was “committed to fighting to save lives and would continue the campaign (for abolition) both nationally and internationally”.
Hands Off Cain is also pleased with the election of noted human rights activist Abdul Oroh. Oroh, running with Obasanjo’s People’s Democratic Party, won in the constituency of Owan, in the state of Edo, and was elected to the house of representatives. Head of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Oroh backed Hands Off Cain’s campaign against the boycotting of Miss World in Nigeria and, in November 2002, took part in the Transnational Radical Party Congress, becoming a member for the first time.
Whilst the European Union observer team said the elections in Nigeria were "marred by serious irregularities and fraud in 13 states", two United States-based groups that observed the just concluded presidential/gubernatorial elections, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Inter-national Republican Institute (IRI), as well as Nigeria-based Transitional Monitoring Group (TMG), the nation´s umbrella monitoring body comprising about 170 human rights and civil society organisations, listed only five states that were marked by "significant flaws" during last Saturday´s election. However, Commonwealth observers gave a more positive assessment saying: "in most of Nigeria a genuine and largely successful effort was made to enable the people to vote freely".
Sergio D’Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain, declared: “Obasanjo’s re-election is today the best guarantee in Nigeria for the life of Amina Lawal and others who risk being sentenced to death by the political use of Sharia law as applied by the twelve northern states which have introduced it. Obasanjo’s Nigeria is certainly not an advanced or complete democracy, but what is certain is that a Nigeria without Obasanjo would be closer to the past regime than a democratic future. By reconfirming Obasanjo another step towards democracy has been taken, following almost 15 years of military regimes. Obasanjo’s re-election will also have a positive effect towards the campaign for a UN moratorium on capital executions.During a mission to Nigeria last October by Hands Off Cain, together with Italian and European parliamentarians, Olosegun Obasanjo declared he was “committed to fighting to save lives and would continue the campaign (for abolition) both nationally and internationally”.
Hands Off Cain is also pleased with the election of noted human rights activist Abdul Oroh. Oroh, running with Obasanjo’s People’s Democratic Party, won in the constituency of Owan, in the state of Edo, and was elected to the house of representatives. Head of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Oroh backed Hands Off Cain’s campaign against the boycotting of Miss World in Nigeria and, in November 2002, took part in the Transnational Radical Party Congress, becoming a member for the first time.
— SOURCES
- Sources: Hands Off Cain, 22/04/03