A few months before Nigeria's national elections, both main
candidates embraced and promised a peaceful election. That pledge is now under
serious threat.
Protesters fired gunshots and torched a local electoral
office in Nigeria's oil-rich Rivers state as they marched to protest national
elections held to elect Nigeria's next President.
"There's been so much violence in Rivers state that
it's just not tenable," said Lai Mohammed, spokesman for the main
opposition party, the All Peoples Congress.
The All Peoples Congress says the vote has been rigged,
voters intimidated and demanded that the elections held in Rivers state be
canceled.
The ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, refutes the
accusation, saying the election was "credible and the result reflects the
overwhelming wish of the people of Rivers state to support President Goodluck
Jonathan."
Heavy rain eventually forced the protesters home, but there
are fears that it will take more than rain to stop further protests and
violence.
"We are concerned by what seems to be happening,"
said Attahiru Jega, Nigeria's election chairman, about events in Rivers state.
Nigeria has just held what are thought to be the closest
elections since a return to democracy in 1999 after decades of military rule.
The two main candidates are incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and retired
general Muhammedu Buhari.
What is at stake in the protests in Rivers state is not
whether Nigeria can hold an election, but can it hold a "close"
election.
Voting is now over and the results are being counted. Jega
says the final result will likely be announced within 48 hours.
The fear is that the results may not be accepted by whomever
loses.
And if the opposition believes it has been rigged out of
victory by the ruling party, then the protests in Rivers state could spread to
northern Nigeria. Over 800 people were killed in post-election violence across
the north after the 2011 elections were thought to be illegitimate.
And so both candidates have taken to social media to call
for calm.
"I want to urge all Nigerians to also wait patiently
for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to collate and
announce results," stated Jonathan on his Facebook account.
"Fellow Nigerians, I urge you to exercise patience and
vigilance as we wait for all results to be announced," said Buhari on
Twitter.
-http://edition.cnn.com/
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