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News in Detail
Nigeria Labor Group Plans Strike to Impede Transition, Inauguration.
- [ 14/04/2007
]
No specific dates have been chosen to protest the victories of President-Elect Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, opposition groups have rejected the results and plan to challenge the outcome in court this week. Political Science Professor Sadiq Abubakar of Amadou Bello University in Kaduna says the protests themselves do not represent a serious threat to Nigeria’s scheduled civilian transition of power on May 29.
“So far, there hasn’t been any strong organization against the election. Everybody’s complaining about it, especially all the civil society organizations – labor, political parties. But they have not really been able to come together to organize in such a way that they could threaten the transition. The Nigerian Labor Congress used to be very influential. But it seems to me they have lost some steam. If closing down the country means denying electricity, movement, distribution of petrol, closing down the markets, I don’t know whether they can do that,” he said.
Professor Abubakar says that a combination of Nigerian labor and political opposition forces can only succeed if they become better organized.
“So far, political leaders’ pronouncements are bereft of any determination, and no organization whatsoever. Just giving a press conference, asking people to come out doesn’t mean anything. We should be well organized, in such a way that when they come out, others will have the courage to do so. A one-day or two-day strike in Africa doesn’t mean anything to African leaders,” he said.
On the other hand, the Amadou Bello University professor points out that best chance for the opposition All-Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), the Action Congress Party (AC) and others to press for a re-run of the vote depends on a strong legal team and a solid presentation in court.
“They have organized some formidable lawyers to argue their case. Looking at the names of the lawyers, we are in for some fireworks in the court. And if they are able to assemble the evidence, I think they will have some chance. It’s one thing to say the elections are rigged. It’s another to organize evidence to prove it. So far, Atiku has demonstrated his capacity to actually mobilize good lawyers to fight his case. And he has won virtually every case,” said Abubakar, who is no relation to the outgoing Vice President.
Professor Abubakar credited President-Elect Yar’Adua with making correct conciliatory gestures toward the political opposition.
“In terms of his moves, they are the right moves. If he wins the case (in court), what he does in the first 100 days will be extremely important. He has to reach out to the opposition parties. He shouldn’t be seen to be vindictive. He has to review some of the programs. Some of the ministers in this administration are very corrupt. The issue of electricity is very important. The university lecturers are on strike. He has to reach out to the Niger Delta. Luckily the Vice President (VP-Elect Goodluck Jonathan) is from that area. There are so many aggrieved people. You have had leaders who are very, very irresponsible who have been taking billions of nairas and dollars, but they have not been doing anything to improve the conditions of the people of the area,” he said.
Nigeria's main labor group calls for protest strike after flawed elections
By BASHIR ADIGUN
AP
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - The main labor organization called Sunday for a two-day strike to protest Nigeria's flawed elections, saying the work stoppage would take place before the inauguration of a new president in Africa's oil giant later this month.
The Nigeria Labor Congress workers would be asked to stay at home for two consecutive days before the May 29 investiture of Katsina Governer Umaru Yar'Adua as Nigeria's new president. It said it was still debating when to hold the action.
Yar'Adua, the ruling party candidate, won the April 21 vote that international observers have deemed unrepresentative of the voters' will. The opposition has rejected the results as rigged.
"The 2007 general elections were fundamentally flawed and therefore unacceptable," said the labor group, which claims to have 5 million members across all economic and public sectors, including the oil industry.
Both the white-collar and blue-collar oil unions signed onto the agreement, which was made public in a statement.
A series of militant attacks in the oil-producing south have already cut production by nearly one quarter - and the strikes risk greater disruptions in Africa's biggest crude producer.
Previous, abbreviated oil-worker strikes haven't affected production, much of which is automated or overseen by foreign workers who are not part of the Nigerian unions. But a longer work stoppage could cut oil output further.
The handover from President Olusegun Obasanjo to Yar'Adua will mark the first time Nigeria has seen power transferred from one civilian leader to another since the country's 1960 independence from Britain. Annulments or military coups scuttled all earlier attempts for such a transfer in this country of 140 million people.
But many Nigerians say the April vote was undemocratic. Thugs openly stole ballot boxes, electoral officials stuffed boxes with votes marked for Obasanjo's ruling party, and ballot shortages were evident in many opposition strongholds.
In some wards where the vote failed to occur at all, the ruling party was announced the runaway winner, international observers have said. The weak, fractured opposition has rejected the results, but has not been able to muster comprehensive protests.
The workers' unions are considered among the few organizations capable of rallying supporters, although the bloc hasn't played a strong political role in the past.
Nigeria is one of the world's top 10 oil producers and a main supplier of crude to the United States. The production cuts after a bombing and kidnapping campaign by militants have helped send crude prices higher worldwide.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
SOURCE: photo/news10152005.gif |
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