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Nigeria opposition urge new polls | Nigeria opposition urge new polls |
(10 minutes later) | |
Nigeria's opposition parties have asked the parliament to annul last weekend's presidential poll and set up an interim administration to take over government. | |
They also called for a re-run of all recent elections described as "flawed" by local and international observers. | They also called for a re-run of all recent elections described as "flawed" by local and international observers. |
Although leading opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari attended the meeting, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was represented by his running mate. | Although leading opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari attended the meeting, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was represented by his running mate. |
Ruling party candidate Umaru Yar'Adua won by a landslide in the polls. | |
Two evils never make a right Archbishop Alaba Job | Two evils never make a right Archbishop Alaba Job |
The BBC's Senan Murray in the capital, Abuja, says that having failed to present a common front during the poll, it is not clear how the opposition can now challenge its outcome in a unified way. | |
Earlier, the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria advised against any mass protests, saying it is best to head for the law courts. | |
'Wrong' | 'Wrong' |
At the meeting, opposition parties agreed to have special prayers in mosques and churches over the weekend for some 200 Nigerians who died in election-related violence. | |
Monitors slam poll "charade" A monitor's election experience | Monitors slam poll "charade" A monitor's election experience |
They also called on Nigerians to troop out to the streets on 1 May to reject the "sham elections" and call for their cancellation. | |
Fearing a possible outbreak of violence in the volatile Kaduna State, a ban on street demonstrations has just been announced in the north-western state. | Fearing a possible outbreak of violence in the volatile Kaduna State, a ban on street demonstrations has just been announced in the north-western state. |
But further north in the conservative Muslim-dominated Kano State, some women heeded opposition calls and took to the streets to protest the outcome of last Saturday's parliamentary poll. | But further north in the conservative Muslim-dominated Kano State, some women heeded opposition calls and took to the streets to protest the outcome of last Saturday's parliamentary poll. |
The Catholic bishops admitted Nigerians' votes had been "abused, traumatised and brutalised", but also said the answer did not lie in violent protests. | |
"Two evils never make a right. To cause chaos; to cause people to lose their lives and property is definitely wrong," Archbishop Alaba Job told the BBC. | |
Mr Yar'Adua gained 24.6m votes, against 6.6m for his closest challenger, Mr Buhari and 2.6m for vice-president turned opposition candidate Mr Abubakar. | Mr Yar'Adua gained 24.6m votes, against 6.6m for his closest challenger, Mr Buhari and 2.6m for vice-president turned opposition candidate Mr Abubakar. |
In addition to his election troubles, Nigeria's Code of Conduct Tribunal is expected to decide whether it could try Mr Abubakar for graft despite his constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution. | |
Outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo has defended the organisation of the vote. | Outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo has defended the organisation of the vote. |
"No elections in the world will ever be regarded as perfect... You cannot use European standards to judge the situation in a developing country," he told the BBC. | "No elections in the world will ever be regarded as perfect... You cannot use European standards to judge the situation in a developing country," he told the BBC. |
The presidential poll was held alongside elections for the National Assembly and Senate. | The presidential poll was held alongside elections for the National Assembly and Senate. |
Nigeria - one of the world's biggest oil producers - is of key strategic interest to both the West and the growing economies of the East. | Nigeria - one of the world's biggest oil producers - is of key strategic interest to both the West and the growing economies of the East. |
But despite the country's huge oil wealth, much of the population lives on less than $1 a day. | But despite the country's huge oil wealth, much of the population lives on less than $1 a day. |