NIGERIA: NIGERIA'S MILITARY RULER GENERAL SANI ABACHA SPEAKS ABOUT REFORMS IN 36TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS

Record ID: 911359

  • Title: NIGERIA: NIGERIA'S MILITARY RULER GENERAL SANI ABACHA SPEAKS ABOUT REFORMS IN 36TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS
  • Date: 1st October 1996
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (OCTOBER 1, 1996/ RECENT) (RTV) RECENT LV STREETS OF NIGERIAN CITY LAGOS (7 SHOTS) SMV NEWSPAPERS ON STREETS WEIGHTED DOWN WITH STONES SCU MAGAZINE HEADLINES (2 SHOTS) SMV MAN READING NEWSPAPER SMV PEOPLE READING PAPERS (2 SHOTS) LV STREETS WITH PEOPLE AND TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS) LV CROWDED MARKETS
  • Embargoed: 6th July 2005 17:37
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LAGOS, NIGERIA
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA73K5ILHTHHSBGW7ETDG36R2FI
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Nigeria's military ruler has created six new states as part of his plan to restore democracy. However General Abacha, speaking on the 36th anniversary of Nigeria's independence, made no mention of freeing political detainees and opponents were dissapointed that opposition-backed parties went unregistered.

    Independence Day in Nigeria left opposition groups unimpressed on Tuesday (October 1) when the military ruler, General Sani Abacha, made no mention of releasing political detainees.

    As part of his plan to restore democracy by October 1998 Abacha has created six new states to "ensure a fair spread and balancing within the geopolitical zones of the country".

    The political parties which will take part in the election have also been chosen. Out of the 15 which applied, five parties were chosen, all are from the centre and none which opposes the government.

    Nigerian opposition groups and Western governments, demanding Abacha hand over power earlier, remain unimpressed with the transition programme.

    His opponents were disappointed by lack of news of when political detainees would be released and opposition-backed parties went unregistered.

    Nigeria's government, is treated as a pariah by much of the international community for jailing dozens of opponents and the execution last November of nine minority rights activists, including author Ken Saro-Wiwa.

    However, the Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies, which suspended Nigeria after the November executions, on Sunday decided not to impose sanctions because it said it wanted to force the pace of democracy. It also dropped a proposal that a fact-finding team, sent to Nigeria to oversee the transition, meet with opposition and human rights groups.

    Since independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria has spent less than 10 years under civilian rule.
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