Hundreds of Nigerian youths rallied in the commercial capital Lagos on Tuesday demanding Acting President Goodluck Jonathan implement much needed electoral reforms to ensure credible national polls next year.





Political demonstrations have become more common in Africa's most populous country since the departure of ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua from the public eye five months ago.

Jonathan has taken over executive powers and has tried to quickly assert his authority in the absence of Yar'Adua, who remains too sick to govern.

But concerns linger of a possible power struggle between Jonathan and key Yar'Adua allies, especially if the president begins to recover from his heart ailment.

The political uncertainty in sub-Saharan Africa's second biggest economy has stalled key reforms, slowed state business, and threatened a popular amnesty programme that has brought relative peace to the oil-producing Niger Delta.

"We are saying enough is enough. Nigeria is not going forward," said Shade Ladipo, a 28-year-old event planner.

The protesters, some carrying placards saying "Jonathan We are Watching", and "We want to talk for ourselves", marched to the office of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, giving him a list of demands to forward to Jonathan and other political leaders.

"We want electoral reforms. We want our votes to count," said Christopher Ehindero, a film maker in Lagos. "I'm 34 and I have never voted in my life."

Jonathan has made overhauling Nigeria's electoral system a top priority to avoid a repeat of the flawed 2007 polls, which brought Yar'Adua to power.

Reform legislation is currently before parliament. But time is quickly running out for changes to be implemented in time for next year's elections, which are due by April 2011.

The United States, by far Nigeria's biggest trading partner, said the West African country's election chief should be replaced if it wants to hold credible national polls.

The 2007 elections were so marred by ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation that local and international observers said they were not credible.

Link:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5554300-146/nigerians_demand_reforms_fair_elections_.csp

by Gbenga Olorunpomi

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5554300-146/nigerians_demand_reforms_fair_elections_.csp

Several hundreds of young Nigerians, comprising professionals, artists, and students, engaged in a peaceful march in the blazing Lagos sun for about two hours to the Lagos State Governor's Office in Alausa. They were marching under the aegis of Enough is Enough Nigeria.

Amongst the many protesters, led by president of the Campaign for Democracy, Joe Okei-Odumakin, were popular singers like Banky W, Eldee, Sound Sultan, Timi Dakolo, the Roof top MCs, actor Rita Dominic and comedian Ali Baba.

Informal sources said the governor was in the Acting President's entourage to high-powered meetings in Washington DC, USA. However, the governor did not designate a representative - even though the protesters showed a letter received and signed by his Chief of Staff as proof of ample notice. The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yomi Ikuforiji, tried to come out to address the crowd, but they had lost their patience and the organisers declared the rally closed.

The march, which began at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Open Field, went through Obafemi Awolowo Road and terminated at the gate of the Governor's Office.

The Lagos heat did not deter the marchers, who turned to the many vendors selling fluid to quench their thirst. The crowd, which had most wearing white t-shirts with inscriptions, attracted many on-lookers, many of whom voiced support for their cause.

A considerable contingent of police officers was on hand to ease traffic issues and quell any potential disturbance. This is a reversal of what transpired a month ago when gun-carrying police officers barred the same youth group at the main gate of the National Assembly in Abuja and prevented them from seeing the leadership of the Assembly. That incident resulted in a scuffle.

The Enough is Enough group is a coalition of youth groups who are demanding for a change and insisting that young Nigerians take more ownership of the voting process.