More than 800 people were killed and 65,000 displaced in three days of violence after a presidential election in Nigeria in April to win Goodluck Jonathan, said Monday the organization Human Rights Watch. After Jonathan, and Christian from the south, was declared winner of the election, clashes broke out in northern cities, mostly Muslim.
The elections were considered by observers and many Nigerians as the most credible in decades. However, Jonathan's main rival, former dictator Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim people in the north, has refused to accept defeat and his party the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC for its acronym in English) has asked the Cutting new elections in some areas.
"The April elections were ranked among the fairest in Nigeria's history, but also were among the bloodiest," said Corinne Dufka, West Africa researcher for the U.S. human rights organization. Last week, Jonathan created a panel of religious leaders, traditional leaders and lawyers to investigate the violence.
Buhari's supporters say the violence in the days following the election of 16 April when they were burned houses, shops, churches and mosques, was spontaneous, but the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blames his opponents. "The orchestrated violence that followed the election especially in areas where overwhelmingly won the CPC was a direct response to comments instigators and directives made by their leaders even before they finished the election," the DPP said in a statement Sunday.
Jonathan won with 59% of the vote, against 32% of Buhari, but even the president succeeded million votes in the north, stood before his rival in almost all northern states. 
The elections were considered by observers and many Nigerians as the most credible in decades. However, Jonathan's main rival, former dictator Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim people in the north, has refused to accept defeat and his party the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC for its acronym in English) has asked the Cutting new elections in some areas.
"The April elections were ranked among the fairest in Nigeria's history, but also were among the bloodiest," said Corinne Dufka, West Africa researcher for the U.S. human rights organization. Last week, Jonathan created a panel of religious leaders, traditional leaders and lawyers to investigate the violence.
Buhari's supporters say the violence in the days following the election of 16 April when they were burned houses, shops, churches and mosques, was spontaneous, but the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blames his opponents. "The orchestrated violence that followed the election especially in areas where overwhelmingly won the CPC was a direct response to comments instigators and directives made by their leaders even before they finished the election," the DPP said in a statement Sunday.
Jonathan won with 59% of the vote, against 32% of Buhari, but even the president succeeded million votes in the north, stood before his rival in almost all northern states.
- Hebrews 11:38...the world was not worthy of them (2) Nigeria Pastor, James Musa Rike, loses family in attack (16/05/2011)
- Group faults moves to establish US military base in Nigeria (16/05/2011)
- Two Europeans Kidnapped in Nigeria (14/05/2011)
- Jonathan: Myles Munroe sets agenda for a new Nigeria (15/05/2011)
- Gunmen abduct Italian, Briton in north Nigeria (14/05/2011)
No comments:
Post a Comment