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Nigerian military patrol cities after elections
23/04/2003 10:07 - (SA)
Abuja - Army soldiers and police were patrolling Nigerian cities on Wednesday after incumbent Olusegun Obasanjo was declared the winner of the country's controversial presidential election.
Obasanjo took 62% of the vote to 32% for his nearest challenger, Muhammadu Buhari, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
"The presidential election result is a true reflection of the will of the Nigerian electorate," said electoral commission chairperson Abel Guobadia. He was surrounded by armed security officers as he announced final results late on Tuesday night.
Prior to the official announcement, opposition figures stormed the venue in the capital Abuja and said they had rejected the election as fraudulent.
"This was no election, no election at all," said Don Etiebet, chairperson of Buhari's All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP). "We do not need to tell the people what to do. They will know what to do when their mandate has been trampled upon."
Local and international election observers have issued scathing reports about the conduct of the polls, pointing to theft of ballot boxes, stuffing by electoral officials and questionable vote tallies.
The European Union monitoring team said the vote was "marred by serious irregularities" while the US state department complained of "widespread and often credible claims of electoral malfeasance".
Obasanjo described the vote as "peaceful, free and transparent" during an address on state television on Tuesday night.
In comments clearly directed at Buhari, he said the people "have voted for one united, harmonious Nigeria and no leader should deny them their hearts' desire. Good politicians should be really good sportsmen, showing magnanimity and humility in victory and gallantry and good-naturedness in defeat".
Buhari, a former military ruler from the predominantly Moslem north of the country, last week threated mass protests in case of electoral fraud.
Results in three states with remarkable turnouts in favour of the incumbent were the focus of opposition complaints. Obasanjo took 96% of the vote on a 97% turnout in Bayelsa state, polled 98% on a 96% turnout in Cross River state, and 93% on a 95% turnout in Rivers.
Overall turnout across the country was just above 68%.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and the world's eighth-largest oil producer, has endured a tumultuous series of military coups and annulled elections since independence from Britain in 1960. Saturday's elections for president and state governors were the first conducted under a civilian government for 20 years.
The results mean Obasanjo and his People's Democratic Party (PDP) are set to dominate power at all levels in Nigeria's federal system for the next four years.
The party won 27 of the 36 elections for state governor and won a majority in both houses of the federal parliament during elections on April 12.
Only one of the 18 other presidential candidates had more than 1 per cent of the vote - Emeka Ojukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, with 3.2%. - Sapa-DPA
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