06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Overview on the political developments from independence to the first peaceful transition from one elected government to another with the April 2003 election ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20451]

"The military has ruled Nigeria for all but 16 years since independence from Britain in 1960. Generals and their backers argued that they were the only ones who could keep a lid on simmering tensions among the country’s 250 ethnic groups, as well as between religious communities; the north is largely Muslim, while the south is mainly Christian.

Nigeria initially appeared to be emerging from several years of military rule under General Ibrahim Babangida in 1993, when a presidential election was held. Moshood Abiola, a Muslim Yoruba from the south, was widely considered the winner, but the military annulled the results. It continued to rule behind a puppet civilian administration until General Sani Abacha, a principal architect of previous coups, took power in November 1993. A predominantly military Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) was appointed, and all democratic structures were dissolved and political parties banned. Abiola was arrested in June 1994 after declaring himself Nigeria’s rightful president. He died in detention, after suffering from a lack of proper medical care, just five weeks after Abacha himself died suddenly in June 1998.

The departure of the two most significant figures on Nigeria’s political landscape opened possibilities for democratic change. General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the army chief of staff, emerged as the PRC’s consensus choice to be the country’s next leader, and he promised to oversee a transition to civilian rule in 1999. Olusegun Obasanjo—a former general who had led a military regime from 1976 to 1979 and had spent three years in prison under Abacha—won the presidential poll in February 1999. In legislative elections held that year, Obasanjo’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won the most seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Nigeria made its first peaceful transition from one elected government to another with the April 2003 election, in which Obasanjo won a second term. Electoral unrest, though anticipated, did not materialize, but there was violence leading up to the polls, which were marred by irregularities. While Obasanjo faced 19 opposition candidates, the race ultimately was between the southern, Christian Obasanjo and former general Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim and member of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). Obasanjo won with 62 percent of the vote, compared with 32 percent for Buhari, who filed a petition on behalf of some 20 opposition parties to nullify the election results. The Supreme Court in 2005 unanimously rejected the challenge, saying the fraud discovered was not enough to have changed the poll results."

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

In the National Conference, opened by Obasanjo in 2005, delegates failed to agree on fundamental issues ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20453]

"After initially resisting calls for a national dialogue, Obasanjo opened a national conference in 2005, warning delegates against questioning Nigeria’s unity. Although Nigerians had long called for a national conference, the talks drew criticism from Obasanjo’s opponents and members of civil society. About 400 delegates met for five months and failed to agree on fundamental issues, such as how to divide the country’s oil wealth and how to effectively deal with religious and ethnic tensions. The delegates called for a special commission to devise possible solutions to those problems."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor was surrendered to the Special Court for Sierra Leone on 29 March ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20153]

"In March Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf asked the Nigerian government to hand over former Liberian President Charles Taylor to face trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor subsequently escaped but was recaptured by Nigerian security forces, and on 29 March was surrendered to the Special Court."

Document(s): Open document

04.04.2007 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Chronology of main political events since independence ("Chronology") [ID 19646]

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Because of rather positive image of President Obasanjo foreign governments are unwilling to exert pressure on Nigeria over its human rights record ("World Report 2007") [ID 18985]

"President Obasanjo has enjoyed a generally positive image in the eyes of foreign governments. Nigeria has enhanced its regional and international significance through the leading role played by Obasanjo in various diplomatic initiatives including efforts to 5 broker peace in Darfur. This, combined with the country’s economic significance as a major oil producer, perpetuates an unwillingness on the part of key governments— notably the United Kingdom and the United States—and intergovernmental organizations such as the African Union and the Commonwealth to exert meaningful pressure on Nigeria over its human rights record."

Document(s): Open document

09.2006 - Source: Freedom House

In 2005 400 delegates discussed issues such as religious and ethnic tensions in a national conference; delegates were nominated by the president or state governors, most of whom belonged to the ruling party ("Freedom in the World 2006") [ID 18135]

"After initially resisting calls for a national dialogue, Obasanjo opened a national conference in 2005 by warning delegates against questioning Nigeria's unity. Although Nigerians had long called for a national conference, the talks drew criticism from Obasanjo's opponents and members of civil society. They complained that delegates were appointed by Obasanjo or nominated by Nigeria's 36 state governors- 28 of whom belong to the ruling party-and therefore lacked credibility. About 400 delegates met for five months and failed to agree on fundamental issues such as how to divide the country's oil wealth and how to effectively deal with religious and ethnic tensions. The delegates called for a special commission to devise possible solutions to those problems. The National Assembly will consider recommendations from the conference for possible constitutional changes."

Document(s): Open document

08.2006 - Source: Norwegian Country of Origin Information Center

Ethnicity in Politics ("Report on Fact-finding trip to Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos and Benin City) 12-26 March 2006") [ID 18716]

"[...] ethnicity remains a very important issue in Nigerian politics. Politicians both on the federal and state levels are often expected to favour the interests of their own ethnic group, co-religionists or geographical region of origin, though perhaps less so than in many other countries in the region.11 On the other hand, the political elite is by many considered to constitute a class mostly focused on securing its own position. As Anver Versi, editor of African Business, has put it: «The Nigerian elite focuses on maintaining a status quo where they control more than 99 % of the country’s resources.»"

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Information on efforts to build democracy afer 20 years of military rule ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 18274]

"As Nigeria enters the seventh year of its latest effort to build democratic rule, the country remains trapped at the political crossroads, vacillating between democratic consolidation and the slow road to decay and dissolution. With an estimated population of 130 million growing at nearly 3 percent annually, and an oil output of 2.5 million barrels per day increasing to 4 million by the end of the decade, Nigeria should be taking its rightful place as the giant of Africa. Instead, the giant was brought to its knees by 20 years of brutal and corrupt military rule, which left a legacy of executive dominance and political corruption in the hands of Nigeria's so-called godfathers - powerful political bosses sitting atop vast patronage networks who view the government primarily through the lens of their own personal enrichment. Since President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected in 1999, he has undertaken a number of marginal reforms seeking to reverse this situation. At the same time, however, he has increased his personal hold over the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and refused or been unable to promote the most important reforms to secure democratic consolidation, such as ensuring the independence and probity of the electoral commission or respecting the independence of the legislature through the budgetary process. Freedom in Nigeria remains protected more by the nation's immense size and massive diversity than by the actions of its government. The lifting of military rule in 1999 opened the public arena to a host of nonstate actors, producing a renaissance in civil society and the media. Labor unions regained their place as the leading public advocate amid an explosion in the number of civic associations and nongovernmental organizations. Journalists, meanwhile, grew increasingly bold in their political coverage, forcing the removal of two speakers of the House and a Senate president after exposing their corrupt practices. Moreover, with some 250 ethnic groups speaking myriad languages and split evenly across the Muslim-Christian divide, Nigeria's sheer cultural complexity evokes an environment of constantly shifting alliances and ready balances that tend to check the authoritarian inclinations of the country's political elite."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Short overview of the country's political system ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46036],  [ID 15662]

"Nigeria is a federal republic composed of 36 states and a capital territory, with a population of 140 to 150 million. In April 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was reelected to a four-year deemed after being declared the winner in elections that were marred by what international and domestic observers termed to be serious irregularities and fraud, including political violence. The elections also resulted in the ruling PDP claiming 70 percent of the seats in the national legislature and 75 percent of the state governorships.An extended legal challenge to the 2003 election verdict ended in July when the Supreme Court upheld the election result. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which elements of the security forces acted outside the law."

Document(s): Open document

01.2005 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

According to Professor Utomi opposition politicians can freely express their views, but limit criticism towards government as they desire to be close to power ("Report on human rights issues in Nigeria: Joint British-Danish fact-finding mission to Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria (19 October to 2 November 2004)") [#30412],  [ID 20637]

"According to Professor Utomi opposition politicians can freely express their views.However, a problem among opposition politicians is that they all desire to be close to power and therefore they limit their criticism towards the government. There are close personal relations between members of the government and members of the opposition."

Document(s): Open document