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LAGOS - Calls for a rerun of Nigeria's presidential election on Sunday grew yesterday in response to another poll marked by ballot-rigging, fraud and violence.
The crisis threatens to destabilise one of the Africa's biggest and most important countries and casts doubts on the legitimacy of the next presidency due to begin on May 29.
Nigeria's national observer group, the Alliance for Credible Elections, began the call for a rerun. Max van den Berg, head of the European Union observer mission, said: "For now the assessment is outspokenly negative. I'm very concerned."
He confirmed that the presidential poll was worse than last week's chaotic and violent elections for state governors and legislatures. Among the observers' concerns was the absence of serial numbers on the presidential ballots. In many areas less than half the ballots scheduled were delivered and in some areas there were none. Nigeria's newspapers were full of reports of ballot box theft, violence and rigging.
The Senate President, Kenechukwu Nnanani, called for the elections to be held again. The Government accused him of trying to organise a coup. The two main opposition candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Muhammadu Buhari, condemned the conduct of the election.
President Olusegun Obasanjo is stepping down after eight years with his chosen successor, Umaru Yar Adua, the Governor of Katsina state. Early results showed the ruling People's Democratic Party heading for victory.
- INDEPENDENT
