Nigeria: April 21, 2003

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 President Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, got 90 percent, or more, of the vote in the Christian south, but also picked up as much as 15 percent in the Islamic north. His main opponent (one of 19), Muhammadu Buhari, who is also a former general and military leader, has not been able to impress voters that he brings anything different to the race. It looks like Obasanjo will win with about 70 percent of the vote. This is an important event, as there has never been a successful democratic transfer of power in Nigeria. Earlier elections were overturned with a coup. Many people speak of shunning the "old fashioned tribal politics", but the corruption stemming from all the oil revenue has led politicians to using tribal politics, or any other edge, to help them grab a portion of the nation's wealth.

 

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