NIGERIA: Nigeria's President- elect Yar'Adua calls on Nigerians to embrace democracy

Nigerian president-elect, Musa Umaru Yar'Adua, has been handed a certificate of election that further cements his win in the recent Nigerian election. During the ceremony, he called on Nigerians to adopt the principles of democracy and obey the rule of law. Nigeria's president-elect, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, on Wednesday (May 2) called on Nigerians to adhere to the rules of democracy and law in order to attain the greatest height the country is aiming at. Yar'Adua also promised to review the conduct of the disputed April elections that gave him his mandate with a view to delivering better ones in 2011. Local and foreign observers said vote-rigging was so widespread that the elections were not credible, while the opposition has rejected the results. Yar'Adua has repeatedly said he believes he won fair and square. Yar'Adua commented while receiving a certificate of election, presented to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Maurice Iwu. "We have a responsibility as Nigerians to ensure that we continue our march towards progress through establishing a system under democracy routine and rule of law," he said. Yar'Adua's People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has ruled Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer for eight years, scored a landslide victory according to official results. Yar'Adua was credited with 24.6 million votes against 6.6 million for his closest rival. The PDP won 28 out of 36 state governors' seats and an overwhelming majority in both houses of the National Assembly. But European observers said the elections "fell far short of basic international standards" and were not credible, while the U.S. State Department said the process was "seriously flawed". Yar'Adua however said on Wednesday that the election gave him a credible mandate to run Nigeria. "I have no doubt in my mind, and I sincerely believe that I have the mandate of Nigerians as provided for me by the conduct and the outcome of the 2007 presidential election" Election monitors reported that in many parts of the country results were announced even though voting did not take place because ballot papers and result sheets went missing. They also saw ballot stuffing, theft of ballot boxes, multiple voting and intimidation in many places. Yar'Adua has been governor of the remote northern state of Katsina for eight years. He was almost unknown in national politics until outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo backed him as the PDP candidate in December primaries. Critics say Obasanjo means to use Yar'Adua as his puppet but both men deny this. Yar'Adua will serve a four-year term as president. The constitution allows him to seek a second term in 2011.

ITN Source | May 8, 2007

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