NIGERIA: Former army ruler Muhammadu Buhari chosen as presidential candidate for Nigeria's main opposition party

Record ID: 234865

  • Title: NIGERIA: Former army ruler Muhammadu Buhari chosen as presidential candidate for Nigeria's main opposition party
  • Date: 20th December 2006
  • Summary: (AD1) ABUJA, NIGERIA (DECEMBER 18, 2006)(REUTERS) ALL NIGERIA PEOPLES PARTY (ANPP) SECRETARIAT WITH POSTERS OF PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS POSTED ON WALL DELEGATES WAITING AT THE CONVENTION GROUND CROWD CHEERING AS ANPP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MUHAMMADU BUHARI LEAVES THE SECRETARIAT BUHARI SPEAKING TO ANPP DELEGATES BUHARI WELCOMED BY OFFICIALS OF ANPP AT THE CONVENTION BUHARI ADDRESSES THE PRESS VARIOUS OF DELEGATES AT THE ANPP CONVENTION JUBILANT DELEGATES AFTER THE CONVENTION.
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7IS98EPWOODSFG79P3TUWHB9
  • Story Text: Nigeria's main opposition All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) chose former army ruler Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate for elections next year after all six other contestants withdrew.
    His nomination at a party convention in the capital Abuja comes a day after the primaries of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) when Katsina State Governor Umaru Yar'Adua became its flag bearer for the landmark poll.
    The PDP is favourite to win the April elections in Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous nation and top oil producer, but diplomats say an opposition united around Buhari, a Muslim from northern Nigeria, would present a formidable challenge.
    Thousands of people surged towards the podium in the large Eagle Square parade ground when it became clear that Buhari had won, while thousands of supporters crammed the streets outside.
    The scene contrasted with the PDP convention in the same location a day earlier, when most delegates left without waiting to hear the result.
    Buhari contested the 2003 elections on the ANPP ticket and lost to President Olusegun Obasanjo after a vote marred by rigging and violence. His legal challenge against those results was finally rejected by the Supreme Court last year.
    Obasanjo must step down next year, having failed to amend the constitution to run for a third term.
    Buhari's iron-fisted rule from 1983 to 1985 is best remembered for its austerity measures, the jailing of politicians on corruption charges, and the execution of drug traffickers.
    Obasanjo's election in 1999 marked a return to democracy after 15 years of army rule, and next year's poll should mark the first handover from one elected president to another since independence from Britain in 1960.
    In his speech to the convention, Buhari criticised Obasanjo's failure to provide amenities such as water, healthcare, power and schools to the Nigerian people.
    He called on electoral authorities to abandon a controversial electronic voter registration system which has suffered from a big shortage of machines and technical hitches.
    He called on his supporters to protect their votes and warned the government that they would not accept a repeat of the abuses of 2003.
    With deep pockets, tight control over security forces and an unrivalled nationwide network, the PDP is the party to beat next year. But growing disaffection in the PDP is swelling the ranks of the opposition.
    Although the ANPP controls only about five of Nigeria's 36 states, the party last week signed an alliance with Action Congress to field a single candidate at the polls.
    Action Congress holds its convention in Lagos on Wednesday (December 20) and Vice President Atiku Abubakar is expected to win the ticket.
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