Millions voted across Nigeria last weekend to elect influential state governors and state assembly members.
It was the second poll in a fortnight as monitors expressed concerns about political violence, vote-buying and the role of the military. In several states, the Situation Room umbrella of more than 70 civil society monitoring groups observed the “partisanship of security agencies” and “an intimidating presence of military personnel”. Last month Muhammadu Buhari secured a second four-year presidential term, amidst a low voter turnout, in a win challenged by Nigeria’s opposition.
On Ash Wednesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria urged all Nigerians to pray for the country to be freed from corruption. The call was made by the conference president, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze of Benin City, to mark the beginning of Lent. “We must turn away from the culture of individualism and we must turn away from corruption and politics of bitterness,” he said.
Ahead of the governorship and state elections, another archbishop complained about “acute rigging syndrome”. Archbishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna of Owerri Diocese, said he was not happy that, “democracy in Nigeria is not working, and what we are suffering is severe acute rigging syndrome”. He added that, “democracy will not work if we allow politicians to continue to use the state facilities to do what they want” and “they should serve the people”. He went on: “For 26 years, I have been in a battle for Nigeria democracy and today it does not seem to be anything near what we expected”. He said election rigging “is endemic”.
Buhari was expecting to consolidate his 23 February presidential victory, when he won 19 states to secure a second term, in the state elections. His All Progressives Congress (APC) currently controls 22 states while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 13. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has one. Governors are powerful figures in Nigeria's federal politics, having control of state finances.
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