Nigerian general election, 2007
The presidential elections in Nigeria in 2007 took place on 21 April 2007. The President and the Vice President and the members of the House and the Senate were elected at the national level while, at the same time. On April 14, also the parliaments and governors of the 36 states were selected. For the Office of the President, who rules for a term of four years, as candidates according to official figures 24 politicians. Umaru Yar'Adua went with 70 % of the vote the winner of the presidential election and took office on 29 May 2007.
Olusegun Obasanjo, the previous, confirmed in his office in the elections in Nigeria in 2003 -President of Nigeria, was not allowed to compete after two terms. His attempt to pass through a constitutional amendment for a third time, failed in the Senate.
Assessment of democratic standards
For the proper conduct of elections, the Independent National Election Commission ( INEC ) was responsible. In 120,000 500,000 polling stations polling stations should be available. In order to prevent the President represents only one region or ethnic group, specifies the Constitution that he must achieve at least 25 % of the votes in at least 24 of the 36 states and the majority in the remaining states. A variety of allegations of fraud accompanied the election, there were attacks on polling stations, kidnapping of election workers and glitches such as missing ballots. The EU had a 150 -strong group of election observers dispatched their leader came to the following conclusion: "The elections do not meet the hopes and expectations of the Nigerian people and do not meet basic international standards. I am very disappointed. The process can not be described as credible. "
Presidential candidates
The presidential candidates of the parties were announced in December 2006. The People's Democratic Party (PDP ), the strongest since the last elections the party chose Umaru Yar'Adua, the governor of the predominantly Muslim state of Katsina, at their candidates. His running mate (known as the running mate, who is running for the office of Vice- President ) is Goodluck Jonathan. Since this is the governor of lying in the Niger Delta State of Bayelsa Christian, represented the two candidates both the north and the south.
The candidacy of Atiku Abubakars the opposition party Action Congress ( AC) has been declared by the Electoral Commission amid allegations of corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission invalidated. Abubakar had been excluded by disputes arising from the PDP and suspended from his post as vice-president. He challenged his expulsion before the Supreme Court, but the April 3, the decision of the Electoral Commission confirmed. A week before the election, he was then but yet again approved by the Election Commission for election.
For the All Nigeria People's Party candidate Muhammadu Buhari, who was already following a military coup 1983-1985 President and was set up by more than 6000 delegates without voting. Another opposition party, the Alliance for Democracy (AD), was originally the 79 -year-old Adebayo Adefarati intended for presidential candidate who, however, died on 21 March 2007. The electoral commission allowed the AD to compete with a new candidate.
Results
On April 23, the results were announced, showing that Umaru Yar'Adua won with 24.6 million or about 70 % of the votes, the presidential elections. Muhammadu Buhari came to 6.2 million votes, Atiku Abubakar to 2.6 million; the other candidates were virtually meaningless. The turnout was about half of the electorate at.