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Nigeria poll 'concerns' US, EU
17/04/2007 13:48 - (SA)
Lagos - The United States and European Union have called on Nigeria to curb violence and take action to prevent vote-rigging in Saturday's presidential election, while a Supreme Court ruling has added to controversy over the poll.
A curfew has been imposed in at least three states after the vote for governors and local assemblies last Saturday sparked violence that left at least 21 dead.
Political turmoil has been increased by the Supreme Court reinstating Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to this weekend's ballot.
US and EU officials strongly criticised the handling of last weekend's vote.
"In Nigeria, the United States takes seriously reports of voting irregularities and election-related violence during this past weekend's state and local elections," said US presidential spokesperson Dana Perino.
"We would urge that officials address any problems in order to ensure that Saturday's presidential election, that those polls, are free and fair and conducted in an atmosphere free of violence," she said.
The election will see the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in Nigeria since independence in 1960.
Improvements before election
EU observers who monitored the state governorship elections also expressed "serious concerns" about the vote.
Polling stations stayed opened late because officials had arrived late and there were problems delivering ballot papers and other polling materials, the EU mission said in a statement.
Observers criticised under-age voting, failure to guarantee the secrecy of the ballot and a shortage of electoral officials.
There were "incidents of hijacking of ballot boxes by groups of thugs" as well as irregularities that led to significant discrepancies between results at polling stations and ballot collation at the local government level, they said.
The statement urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure significant improvements before the presidential and legislative elections.
"Preparations should have been of a higher standard and must be substantially improved in the coming days to deliver a credible and secure process at the federal elections," the EU statement said.
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