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Nigeria: Opposition cries foul
22/04/2003 18:44 - (SA)
Abuja - Nigeria's main opposition party rejected Tuesday the re-election of President Olusegun Obasanjo, alleging that the ballot was rigged and saying that any new government would be illegitimate.
"Any government that is formed on the basis on this fradulent election result will be illegitimate," said Sam Nda-Isaiah, spokesperson for former dictator Muhammadu Buhari, who was defeated in Saturday's vote.
Nda-Isaiah noted that European Union monitors had said the election had been marred by fraud in 11 of Nigeria's 36 states, and added: "By our own estimation, elections did not take place in about 15 states."
"Our minimum demand is that new elections should be held in these areas under the supervision of the international community," he told AFP.
Meanwhile, the fiery chair of Buhari's All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Don Etiebet, went further, denouncing the conduct of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
"INEC should declare all elections cancelled. The result does not reflect the wishes of the people," he told journalists.
"INEC... is holding secret meetings with Obasanjo and (ruling party chair) Audu Ogbeh and INEC commissioners in the states," he charged.
"That was how the rigging plan was perfected... I call for the cancellation of the entire process because it was characterised by fraud," he said.
Neither official would say what form their rejection of Obsanjo's victory would take. Buhari last week called for "mass action" against fraud, but has since denied any attempt to incite unrest.
- AFX
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