Nigerian Opposition Seeks Power in Numbers

by Jordan Yerman | April 25, 2007 at 07:15 am

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As the ruling party seeks to legitimize the results of the election, opposition leaders are consolidating to express their discontent, with the threat of public demonstrations looming.

The runner-up in Nigeria's presidential elections convened a meeting with other opposition politicians on Wednesday, seeking a unified response to the weekend vote deemed not credible by international observers.

General Muhammadu Buhari, who according to the official count placed second to governing party candidate Umaru Yar'Adua, went behind closed doors in the capital, Abuja, with representatives of many of Nigeria's 25 largest opposition parties to consider their options.

The opposition has already rejected the outcome as rigged in favour of President Olusegun Obasanjo's People's Democratic Party, and the third-place candidate has said he will challenge the results in court before Yar'Adua's planned May 29 inauguration.

Opposition party members have said their leaders are considering, among many possibilities, a court case filed in unison or calling supporters into the streets for protests against Obasanjo's government.