Abacha clears hurdle for presidential polls<\/p>\n
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters): Nigerian military ruler Gen.
\nSani Abacha won a crucial party vote yesterday which means he
\nwill face no opponent in presidential elections planned for Aug.
\n1.<\/p>\n
The Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), at a ballot in the
\nnorth-eastern town of Maiduguri, became the fifth of five parties
\nto adopt Abacha when he won 1,368 votes against 408 for former
\npolice chief Mohammed Yusufu.<\/p>\n
Armed riot police were called in to quell shouts of \"We don't
\nwant cheating. We don't want Abacha\" from angry Yusufu supporters
\nthat Abacha, who was not a member of the GDM, could be considered
\nas the party's presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
\"I am a winner always, but in this case I am out,\" Yusufu,
\nclearly unhappy, told reporters after the vote.<\/p>\n
Lagos lawyer Tunji Braithwaite withdrew after the party's
\nconstitution was modified to accommodate Abacha, while a third
\ncontender failed to secure nomination.<\/p>\n
Abacha's victory is bound to intensify cries of foul from
\nlocal opposition and democracy groups which already dismiss the
\ntransition plan for restoring democracy to the oil-producing
\ncountry of at least 104 million.<\/p>\n
Western countries have hung the threat of a possible extension
\nof mild sanctions over Nigeria unless a semblance of democracy is
\nrestored this year.<\/p>\n
Abacha, 54, has not yet said he will contest the poll but a
\nvast campaign on his behalf has left few Nigerians in doubt that
\nhe hopes to move from military to civilian rule as most of his
\nfellow West African rulers have done.<\/p>\n
The Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) charged with
\noverseeing the path to democracy said the Aug. 1 vote would most
\nlikely be held as a referendum on Abacha's candidacy.<\/p>\n
\"We should wait to know what the electoral law says,\" Khalifa
\nHassan Yusuf of the TIC told Reuters. \"The natural option would
\nbe a referendum at which people will be allowed to vote either
\nfor or against.\"<\/p>\n
The plan to restore civilian rule has come under fire from
\nlocal democracy campaigners and supporters of detained
\npresidential claimant Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the
\nlast presidential poll, annulled by the army in 1993.<\/p>\n
Western countries are also skeptical of Abacha's democratic
\ncredentials and demand the release of dozens of political
\ndetainees including Abiola, who was arrested in 1994 for
\ndeclaring himself president.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abacha-clears-hurdle-for-presidential-polls-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}