nigeria: Government Must Stop Ongoing Electoral Violence
The Nigerian government should act immediately to address the political violence and intimidation that occurred during the recent elections, Human Rights Watch has said. Human Rights Watch called on President Olusegun Obasanjo and other leaders of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to restrain their party members and supporters from committing further acts of violence, and urged opposition leaders to ensure their supporters do not react violently to the elections.
For Immediate Release:
Nigerian Government Must Stop Ongoing Electoral Violence
(New York, April 25, 2003) — The Nigerian government should act
immediately to address the political violence and intimidation that
occurred during the recent elections, Human Rights Watch said today.
Human Rights Watch called on President Olusegun Obasanjo and other
leaders of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to restrain their
party members and supporters from committing further acts of violence,
and urged opposition leaders to ensure their supporters do not react
violently to the elections.
“President Obasanjo must commit his government to upholding the rule of
law,” said Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa division
at Human Rights Watch. “The Nigerian government has consistently failed
to stamp out impunity for political violence, which then set the stage
for the current electoral violence.”
Takirambudde added that as a leader in the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD), President Obasanjo has a responsibility not only to
the Nigerian people but also to people across Africa to set an example
of good governance.
According to official results, the PDP won a significant majority in
both the presidential and gubernatorial elections of April 19 and the
National Assembly polls of April 12. However, the elections have been
marked by serious incidents of violence, and widespread vote rigging and
fraud. The violence has included clashes between supporters of the PDP
and the largest opposition party, the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).
The ANPP and other parties have rejected the official results at various
levels.
Some of the worst violence and intimidation during the election period
occurred in the oil-rich Niger Delta, in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers
states, where PDP incumbents have been announced victorious in the
governorship races.
Human Rights Watch called on the Nigerian government to investigate all
reported cases of electoral violence, as well as the many incidents of
political violence in the months and weeks leading up to the elections.
“Nigerian officials should ensure that those responsible for the
electoral violence are brought to justice. This includes members of the
ruling party who may have organized or participated in killings,” said
Takirambudde.
In a report published just before the elections, “Testing Democracy:
Political Violence in Nigeria,” Human Rights Watch documented an
alarming rise in political violence and highlighted the lack of
accountability for perpetrators.
The report can be found online at:
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2003/nigeria0403/.
For more information, please contact:
In London, Carina Tertsakian: +44-20-7713-2783
In Washington D.C., Karen Stauss: +1-202-612-4343
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Africa Division
Human Rights Watch
Phone: +1-202-612-4347
Fax: +1-202-612-4333
http://www.hrw.org/africa/index.php
en français, http://www.hrw.org/french/africa/