Call for Street Protests in Nigeria over Election Results

by Jordan Yerman | April 24, 2007 at 09:20 am

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Remember in Lord of the Rings, when that big red demon falls into the pit, and Gandalf is clinging to the edge of the chasm? Then the demon's whip whips up and grabs Gandalf's ankle, pulling him down? ... Yeah. The election fiasco in Nigeria is not over yet, regardless of how many times the ruling party implores the people to respect the obviously-flawed victory that the PDP handed itself.

Nigerians must resist the "wholescale fraud" of Saturday's presidential elections, an opposition alliance says.

"We have seen revolutions around the world, from Ukraine to the Philippines. We must replicate that," Pat Utomi told the BBC, on behalf of 25 parties.

Outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo has admitted the polls were flawed but says they should not be re-run.

Ruling party candidate Umaru Yar'Adua won by a landslide, according to official results.

Police were on high alert as the results were announced in the capital, Abuja.

Thousands of opposition supporters protested in the streets of the biggest northern city, Kano, but they were soon dispersed by police firing tear gas.

Thanks, egoigwe, for alerting us to this article!

(I am not belittling the situation in Nigeria; I realize that it is very far away for most of us, and a quick pop-culture reference can be a handy way to paint a quick sketch)

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