Nigerian Election Marred by Violence, Intimidation

Nigeria held presidential election on Saturday, April 21, 2007. Observers and participants are crying foul, with some calling the exercise, a sham. News reports are suggesting that PDP is maintaining dominance thanks to its party-in-control status and intimidating ability.

"We have come to the conclusion that the polls were a charade and did not meet the minimum standards of democratic elections,'' Innocent Chukwuma, the chairman of the group, which fielded 10,000 observers, said in Abuja. "We therefore reject the elections and call for their cancellation."

Speaking about the percentage margin with which PDP was leading in 12 reported states, Anyakwe Nsirimovu, the head of the Transitional Monitoring Group in River State was quoted as saying: "The announcement of 81 percent was the criminal aspect ofthis rigging because turnout was very low. Every ideal and principle of free and fairelections were broken.''

Further, the Washington-based International Republic Institute, aU.S.-government funded non-profit group that promotes democracy, described the polls as worse than previous Nigerian elections and below international standards.

My commentary will follow after the result is announced.