06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Results of the 2003 elections ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20452]

"Obasanjo’s PDP also dominated the 2003 legislative elections, in which at least 30 parties participated. The PDP won 52 of 109 Senate seats and 170 of 360 House seats. The ANPP captured 25 seats in the Senate and 81 in the House, while the Alliance for Democracy won 5 Senate seats and 30 House seats. Smaller parties secured the remainder."

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Irregularities, fraud and intimidation during 2003 elections ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20556]

"Local and international observers noted irregularities during the 2003 presidential and legislative elections, including ballot-box stuffing, multiple voting, alteration of results, and voter intimidation. Observers said fraud and intimidation were particularly prevalent in the southeast and in the Niger Delta."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Information on elections 2003 and electoral violence ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19446]

"In April 2003 President Olusegun Obasanjo of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was re-elected to a four-year term after being declared the winner in elections that were marred by what international and domestic observers characterized as fraud and serious irregularities, 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 2005 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

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Fraud in elections 2003 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19867]

"The 2003 legislative elections were marred by widespread fraud. The turnout was significantly low for the 2003 presidential and gubernatorial elections, which were also marred by widespread fraud. A total of 31 parties participated in the 2003 national assembly elections, and 19 parties fielded candidates in the presidential election. The European Union observer mission categorized the quality of the presidential election as extremely poor, stating that in the worst six states, elections effectively were not held, and in the rest of the country the elections were seriously marred. All major independent observer groups, international and domestic, issued negative statements about the fairness of elections and cited problems throughout the country. Problems included ballot stuffing, intentional miscounting, underage voting, multiple voting, intimidation, and violence, including political killings. Although all parties participated in the misconduct, observers cited violations by the ruling PDP significantly more often than those other parties. Although in 2004 an election tribunal voided part of the 2003 presidential election results, including the entire result of Ogun State, President Obasanjo's home state, and found that there was significant rigging, the tribunal declined by a three to one vote to overturn the election. The opposition appealed the verdict to the Supreme Court, which in 2005 not only upheld the election results, finding that the 2003 election had been "substantially" in compliance with the election law, but also reinstated the results that had been voided by the tribunal. The justice delivering the dissenting opinion in the appeals court was dismissed from the judiciary and continued to live without retirement benefits in the east. On August 12, following a two-year court battle, the Anambra State Elections Tribunal overturned the 2003 gubernatorial election results and declared the All People's Grand Alliance candidate Peter Obi the winner. The previously recognized winner, Chris Ngige, who had run as a member of the ruling PDP but was later expelled from the party, appealed the ruling and refused to leave office pending his appeal."

Document(s): Open document

09.2006 - Source: Freedom House

In 2003 Obasanjo was elected president in the first peaceful transition from one democratically elected government to another ("Freedom in the World 2006") [ID 18128]

"Nigeria made its first peaceful transition from one democratically elected government to another with the April 2003 election, when Obasanjo was reelected for a second term. Anticipated widespread unrest during the elections did not materialize, although 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 the presidency 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

09.2006 - Source: Freedom House

People's Democratic Party (PDP) dominated 2003 legislative elections ("Freedom in the World 2006") [ID 18129]

"Obasanjo's PDP also dominated the 2003 legislative elections, in which at least 30 parties participated. Obasanjo's PDP won 52 of 109 Senate seats and 170 of 360 House seats. The ANPP captured 25 seats in the Senate and 81 in the House, while the Alliance for Democracy won 5 Senate seats and 30 House seats. Smaller parties secured the remainder of seats."

Document(s): Open document

09.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Irregularities observed during 2003 persidential and legislative elections ("Freedom in the World 2006") [ID 18147]

"Local and international observers noted irregularities during the 2003 presidential and legislative elections, including ballot-box stuffing, multiple voting, alteration of results, and voter intimidation. Observers said fraud and intimidation were particularly prevalent in the southeast of the country and in the Niger Delta."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Anambra state: Information on election fraud 2003 ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 18280]

"The bitter fruits of Nigeria's flawed 2003 elections came to harvest throughout 2004 and 2005. The drama of the July 2003 coup in Anambra state, where the governor was arrested by what seem to have been rogue police on behalf of an estranged godfather, continued with a string of stunning revelations regarding the extent of election fraud in 2003. While mediating between the governor and the godfather, President Obasanjo (who has close ties to the godfather) told the media that both men admitted to rigging elections in their state. They were both subsequently suspended from the ruling party, and in 2005 an election tribunal overturned the governor's election. As of late 2005, however, the governor remains in office awaiting an appellate court decision on his case, and the former godfather in question has been readmitted to the ruling party."

Document(s): Open document

01.2005 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Opposition politician Musa blamed PDP of violence after rigging in 2003 elections ("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 20642]

"[...] IRIN added: “The recent spate of deaths has aroused much suspicion since some of the victims are political and state officials. […] All the recent killings have targeted members of the ruling PDP or individuals with ties to the party. Opposition politician Balarabe Musa of the People’s Redemption Party blamed the ruling party for most of the violence, urging it to look inward for those responsible for its members’ deaths. According to Musa, much of the violence is a result of rigging in the April 2003 presidential and parliamentary elections compounded, he claimed, by plans to rig local polls on 27 March 2004.”"

Document(s): Open document

01.2005 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

According to a study political killings increased during and after elections 2003; law enforcement agencies unable to resolve them ("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 20648]

"A study undertaken by LEDAP states that “while other cases of violations are a continuing occurrence, cases of political killings were seen to be more rampant during and immediately after the 2003 general elections. While the violations by the security agents, religious and cult killings were easily classifiable as either state actors or non-state actors, the perpetrators of political killings could not be classified. This is due to the inability of the law enforcement agencies to resolve any of them.”"

Document(s): Open document

06.2004 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Report focused on Nigeria’s 2003 elections (patterns of violence) ("Nigeria’s 2003 Elections: The Unacknowledged Violence") [#23029],  [ID 14847]

Document(s): Open document

30.03.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

The ruling People’s Democratic Party widened its lead in Nigeria’s local elections as allegations of rigging and malpractice abounded ("Obasanjo’s party widens lead in council polls dogged by malpractices") [#20871],  [ID 14848]

Document(s): Open document

29.03.2004 - Source: BBC News

Nigeria's ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) has won a sweeping victory in local elections during which almost 50 people died ("Nigeria's ruling party wins poll") [#20894],  [ID 14849]

Document(s): Open document

27.03.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Niger Delta: at least 10 people killed in Warri, when violence erupted between loyalists of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition supporters over long delayed elections/ more deaths were reported in the central Plateau State ("Violence over local polls leaves at least 10 dead") [#20757],  [ID 14850]

Document(s): Open document

25.03.2004 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Several apparently politically motivated assassinations in the weeks leading up to the local elections reported ("Nigeria: Halt Violence in Local Elections") [#20708],  [ID 14851]

Document(s): Open document

25.03.2004 - Source: BBC News

Massive deployment of police officers throughout Nigeria ahead of local government elections, reported ("Nigeria seeks to ensure poll calm") [#20785],  [ID 14852]

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Opposition candidate Buhari called the results the "rape of democracy" ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14853]

"4.4 Speaking at a joint news conference after meeting other opposition parties in the capital, Abuja, Mr Buhari called the results the "rape of democracy" and "the most rigged in history", but he held back from calling for immediate mass action, as he had earlier threatened."

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

EU Observatory Mission observed election fraud in 13 states. The Commonwealth gave a positive assessment ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14854]

"4.5 Most foreign observers praised the organisation of the elections across much of the country, but criticised polls in the south and east - especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

4.6 A monitoring team from the EU gave a particularly negative assessment saying their observers "witnessed and obtained evidence of widespread election fraud in 13 states". "The presidential and a number of gubernatorial elections were marred by serious irregularities and fraud - in a certain number of states, minimum standards for democratic elections were not met," the group said in a statement. The head of the EU mission, Max van den Berg, added that if these problems are not addressed, Nigerian democracy is in trouble. [197]

4.7 Commonwealth observers gave a more positive assessment however saying: "In most of Nigeria a genuine and largely successful effort was made to enable the people to vote freely". But they added that in some states like Enugu and Rivers State "proper electoral processes appear to have broken down and there was intimidation""

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Results of the House of Representatives and Senate - 12th April 2003 ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14855]

"People's Democratic Party (PDP)
House of Representatives
54.5%
213 / 360 Deputies
Senate
53.7%
73/109

All Nigeria People's Party ( ANPP)
House of Representatives
27.4%
95/360
Senate
27.9%
28/109 Senators

United Nigeria People's Party (UNPP)
House of Representatives
2.7%
2/360
Senate
2.7%
-

National Democratic Party (NDP)
House of Representatives
1.9%
1/360
Senate
1.6%
-

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
House of Representatives
1.4%
2/360 Deputies
Senate
1.5
-

People's Redemption Party (PRP)
House of Representatives
0.8%
1/360 Deputies
Senate
0.7
-

* turnouts 50.0%/49.3%

** National summary of votes and seats as at 2 May, with 346 of 360 resp, 107 of 109 constituencies declared."

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Results of the Presidential elections ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14856]

"4.3 April's Presidential election was the first to be run by civilians for 20 years and was presented as a milestone in the country's return to democracy after years of military rule. Mr Obasanjo's sweeping victory was announced by the electoral commission after long delays and reports from election monitors alleging widespread fraud and intimidation in several states across the country. The official result showed 24.5 million votes for Mr Obasanjo against 12.7 million for his main rival, Muhammadu Buhari.


PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS - 19 April 2003 *


Matthew O.F.A Obasanjo People's Democratic Party 61.9
Buhari Muhammadu All Nigeria People's Party 32.2
Ojukwu C. Odumegwu All Progressives Grand Alliance 03.3

* turnout of 69.1%"

Document(s): Open document

06.05.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Widespread cases of ballot box stuffing, multiple voting, falsification of results and voter intimidation during elections ("Nigeria: Nine killed in elections to state assemblies") [#12396],  [ID 14858]

Document(s): Open document

23.04.2003 - Source: BBC News

Nigeria's main opposition party called on the international community not to recognise the results of Saturday's presidential elections ("Nigeria opposition calls for re-run") [#12188],  [ID 14859]

Document(s): Open document

22.04.2003 - Source: BBC News

Olosegun Obasanjo has been elected for a second term as President ("Obasanjo wins Nigeria poll") [#12165],  [ID 14860]

Document(s): Open document

22.04.2003 - Source: All Africa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declares Obasanjo new elected Nigerian Chief of State ("Obasanjo Maintains Lead") [#12200],  [ID 14861]

Document(s): Open document

22.04.2003 - Source: BBC News

Obasanjo wins second term of presidency; Opposition refuses to endorse him ("Obasanjo wins Nigeria poll") [#12165],  [ID 14862]

Document(s): Open document

14.04.2003 - Source: New York Times

BBC, IRIN, NYT: Violence and irregularities during the parliamentary elections ("By Nigeria's Standards, Elections Exceed Expectations") [#12075],  [ID 14863]

Document(s): Open document

14.04.2003 - Source: European Commission

EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) made first preliminary statement on National Assembly elections in Nigeria ("First Preliminary Statement - Abuja, 14th April 2003") [#12208],  [ID 14864]

Document(s): Open document

14.04.2003 - Source: European Commission

An increased number of political parties attended the elections ("First Preliminary Statement - Abuja, 14th April 2003") [#12208],  [ID 14865]

Document(s): Open document

10.04.2003 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Report documenting numerous cases of political violence across Nigeria during December 2002 and February 2003/ the upsurge of politically motivated violence is threatening the legitimacy of impending elections ("Testing democracy: Political violence in Nigeria") [#11974],  [ID 14866]

Document(s): Open document

04.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

The IRIN Web special on Nigeria ("IRIN Web Special on Nigeria") [#12045],  [ID 14867]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2003 - Source: Washington Post

Senior member of Nigeria's main opposition party killed by gunmen/ 2 politicians killed last month in Nigeria's southeast, raising fears of more violence ahead of April 19 presidential elections ("Nigerian Opposition Official Killed") [#11273],  [ID 14868]

Document(s): Open document
02631nig.htm

05.03.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Gunmen shot dead Marshal Harry, a prominent Nigerian opposition politician in Abuja ("Nigeria: Opposition politician shot dead") [#11266],  [ID 14869]

Document(s): Open document

25.09.2002 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Nigeria's Independent Electoral Commission admits irregularities in voter registration ("25/09/2002 - IRIN: Focus on the problems of voter registration") [ID 14870]

"What will be Nigeria's first general elections since President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power through the polls in 1999 takes on increased significance because no civilian government has conducted elections resulting in a successful transfer of power to a new civilian government in Nigeria's 42 years of nationhood.
Rather than dousing fears, however, the conduct of the voter registration exercise appears to have added to a growing sense of dread among Nigerians as the polls draw nearer. [...] The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was in charge of the exercise, was the first to suggest that something untoward was going on. According to the electoral body, its estimate of eligible voters (aged 18 years and above), based on figures provided by the national population agency, was 59 million out of a total population of over 120 million. "We rounded up at 60 million and even printed 70 million cards, 10 million more," said Abel Guobadia, INEC chairman.[…]
Another reason proffered by INEC for the situation was that there was a mass of cases of "double, multiple and under-age registration" in many parts of the country. […]
The exercise ended with huge numbers of prospective Nigerian voters still unregistered. [...]
Despite all these problems, INEC is still confident of getting the voter registration and the subsequent elections right. For instance, it has announced that, from 26 September, Nigerians have one month to review the voters' list to spot errors and cases of fraud for necessary amendments.
According to the commission, its unprecedented computerisation of the voting register will allow it to spot and invalidate all cases of multiple registration by voters. In addition, eligible voters who have not been registered will have another opportunity to do so in another round of registration early next year, according to INEC. However, it did not make any comment on the fact that such voters will not be able to vote in local elections due to take place by December."

Document(s): 25/09/2002 - IRIN: Focus on the problems of voter registration

17.09.2002 - Source: BBC News

Risk of religious violence toward 2003 elections [ID 15155]

"At least 10,000 people have died in communal or religious violence across the country over the last three years.
For the most part these have been localised disputes, but there are increasing fears that such clashes could ignite reprisal actions elsewhere in the country.
Of particular concern are the tensions between the country's Christian and Muslim communities, which politicians may seek to exploit in their struggle for political power ahead of the elections.
These religious tensions have severely worsened following the introduction of harsh Islamic punishments in the country's northern states over the past two years.
Christians are technically exempt from these punishments, which include amputation of limbs for theft and stoning to death for adultery.
But the increasing Islamisation of political structures in the north has provoked a great deal of unease among the substantial minority of Christians in northern cities who increasingly fear for their security."

Document(s): Open document

23.07.2002 - Source: New York Times

Dozens of villagers killed, many hacked to death, in three days of clashes between rival political factions battling for influence in an oil-rich area of the Niger Delta ("Dozens Killed in Fighting in Nigeria") [#7938],  [ID 14871]

"Dozens of villagers have been killed, many hacked to death, in three days of clashes between rival political factions battling for influence in an oil-rich area of the Niger Delta, activists and witnesses said Tuesday.
Thousands of refugees fleeing the mayhem in Nembe town were still arriving Tuesday in neighboring communities in southeastern Bayelsa state, after a weekend of violence. They included a woman who apparently escaped by swimming across the river after suffering gunshot wounds."

Document(s): 02325nig.htm
Open document

03.07.2002 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Tension and violence between PDP factions as well as PDP and APP on the rise in various states, incidents occurred in Rivers, Delta and Kwara states ("Nigeria: Violence mars ruling party primaries") [#7695],  [ID 14857]

"Primaries organised by Nigeria’s ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday and Tuesday to choose candidates for next month’s local council elections were marred by factional violence. At least two people died and dozens of others were injured.
The deaths occurred during clashes in the central city of Ilorin between rival groups of PDP and opposition All People's Party supporters, according to police sources. "One person was shot and killed while another was stabbed to death as thugs from rival factions fought," a police spokesman in the city, located in Kwara State, told IRIN.
In the southern state of Rivers, two days of violence disrupted the primaries in Okrika Island and the state capital, Port Harcourt, leaving several people injured. Residents of Okrika said hundreds of youths armed with clubs and other weapons fought one another on the streets of the island.
The Guardian daily reported on Wednesday that five youths abducted during the fighting were still missing. The paper reported Mr Nemi Adokiye, a senior official of the Rivers State government and resident of Okrika as blaming “highly placed” politicians for arming the thugs and sponsoring the violence. "The current atmosphere (in the town) is tense and there is a siege mentality. Everybody is scared and afraid," he was quoted as saying.
In Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil industry capital, truckloads of policemen were deployed at the PDP secretariat to quell violence that erupted following a protest by hundreds of youths against the party's failure to hold primaries in the Obio/Akpor local council area on Monday. Two people sustained stab wounds while a third person was shot in the leg by a policeman.
In the southern oil town of Warri, Delta State, armed soldiers patrolled the streets and set up roadblocks at key entry points into the town in the wake of violence there on Sunday between factions of the PDP.
Lt-Col Lar Dogo, commander of the Amphibious Brigade based in Warri, said there were intelligence reports indicating that large quantities of arms were being sent into the town for use by political thugs.
There were also reports of violence between rival factions of the PDP in the northeastern state of Adamawa. The PDP primaries in Adamawa were hotly disputed, and the results of the voting have not been released.
The widespread political violence has raised fears that the council polls, scheduled for 10 August, might be marred by unrest. This would not augur well for general elections set for the first quarter of 2003.
Next year’s polls are generally considered a key test for Nigeria’s new democracy, which ended more than 15 years of military rule in 1999. No civilian government in Nigeria’s history has conducted general elections successfully, and the turmoil arising from past elections had provided the military with a pretext for seizing power."

Document(s): Open document