Nigeria: Why won presidential election - Jonathan Maku - AllAfrica.com

Leadership (Abuja) Bethrand Nwankwo22 April 2011

Mr Labaran Maku has called reasons Abuja - the Minister of information and communication, why the presidential candidate of the peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. GOODLUCK Jonathan won the just concluded presidential election in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Minister attributed the victory of the party in the presidential election the presence of the PDP in all 36 States of the Federal and Abuja. He have also the victory of the President in the poll due to his performance and the people trust in him, as he denied, that the choice in favour of PDP has been tampered with. He said "Professor Jega INEC fleeing from the same zone with the Congress of progressive change for (CPC) candidates for the presidential election."

Jega is Hausa-Fulani Muslim of Kebbi State, so that the question edit by someone not someone who. There is a large change in the perception of politics in Nigeria.

Goodluck Jonathan is from the ethnic minority which has never ruled the country in the past. But because he have alliances in the country could and was of a large parties in the country and because of his character, humility, and his performance in the Government is sponsored, it and the trusted people why he choose won "said he."

He said that the Godfather, which dictate, wins the election, were losing that attributed it to free and fair nature of the choice.

The Minister, who condemned the violence in some parts of the country, who advise, who were not happy with the outcome of the election, to channel their complaints to the Court instead of resorting to violence.

He said PDP was not in the control the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and added that the electoral body, was given a free hand to use. He said that was the PDP of a transnational party, which has spread all over the country.

His opinion, for each party in Nigeria, a presidential election win, that party must have a national distribution. He said there was no way the CPC the presidential election could have won, because it has no national distribution.

"So, the PDP is a transnational party." Nigeria is a country of 250 different ethnic groups and a party that wants to win at the national level must, at least, reach out to a wide range of these groups. If you don't, the consequence of that the last is your victory.

"The CPC reach not." The ACN accepts his fate because the ACN in the Southwest is domiciled. The performance of the CPC is due to the fact that there is a a-year-old party and the fact that it expect not structure in wide range of the Federation of. "And because it won is not in the State, by controlled were it clearly indicates that it, carried out on what should have run you", the Minister said.

He said that for the CPC to run its capacity have shown that the election was free and fair.

Maku, which confirmed that CPC has a credible candidate added that the party was only a year and had no control over all prior State, that presidential elections.

Maku said that CPC could have made tangible impact, if all Nigerian political party (ANPP) had developed the proposed alliance with the action of Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and who.

To condemn the violence in some States, the Minister described it as the handiwork of some criminals. He said the violence was neither ethnic nor religious but simply a political issue as a result of the just concluded presidential elections. He said that those who were either killed or wounded were mainly Muslims.

"It is my opinion after that the violence was the handiwork of criminal and villains who probably negative mobilised." Strictly speaking, it can be seen as really sectarian. It can be negative mobilization and the mood in the campaign were of course, "he said."

He said that the Federal Government the number of the security authorities, where the violence broke out had increased so that peace and security of life and property in these areas.

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Could Putin and Medvedev in an open Russian election face off? -Christian Science Monitor

Moscow

As the political differences between Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev in a visible public rift will expand, and each request for President in the polls remain next year to run, some Russians are mulling, who like a fantasy before a few weeks sound a perspective: What is when she confronted each other in an open and fair elections?

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It was Putin himself who started the speculation is now surging as electricity through Russia's blogosphere. "Neither me nor Dmitry have excluded, that each of us was a candidate in the race," he said last week in a bid to down discussion on the, choice clog apparent Kremlin. "We of the actual situation closer to the elections go."

Putin was responding to comments by Mr Medvedev at a Conference of the BRICS Nations in China. He said "I do not exclude to do that I will run for a new term as President,". "Will be decided in the relatively near future, because there are less than a year." "It is time for change."

RELATED: Putin's marquee moments

For the last three years, the former two-term President Putin and anointed successor, Medvedev, have run the country in a more or less amicable "tandem", but one in which seemed Putin always the senior partner. Both routinely insisted that relations between them were good, and that in due time that would decide them "between themselves" as candidate for President of the institution would lead. Built into the system of "managed democracy" of the Putin Government support is crucial for the election win, and Kremlin critics have pushed to the edge, found even if they can put their name on the ballot.

Is it a campaign platform?

But in recent weeks, public disagreements within the "tandem" have grown more common, and some political forces have begun to potential nominations of individual coagulation, complete with think tank studies, that read much like draft campaign platforms.

"There are a number of votes now, both Liberals and conservatives, which would be it best to break with [the Putin system] and let the voters between them decide, the" says Alexei Pushkov, anchor of the Post Scriptum, Russia's most popular TV public affairs.

"If we, had other policies two candidates, Putin and Medvedev with something, that could create the basis for a genuine two-party system in Russia." After all, are these authentic differences within the Russian society, "says Mr Pushkov." "Some prefer the more traditional approach grab from Putin, while others for the more liberal line, pushing Medvedev...." Who would be the next President, he would have a new level of legitimacy. If it were Medvedev, he would finally free from the bindings of the Putin system and in the location, its own course. "If it would be Putin, we would know that his victory was based on honest public support."

The idea of weaning Russia from its searches autocratic governance has a long history, but attempts been never successful. The short intermezzo swept across a team, the lack of 1917 was followed to the last tsars soon by a Bolshevik flood, took more than 70 years. Try to build a democratic system in the 1990s failed amid economic chaos and social collapse.

Putin was the traditional chain makes the direct command to restore the "power vertical" which means more than swear a decade from the Kremlin after below, in every corner of the expanded Russia.

Although he stepped aside in 2008, his longtime aide Medvedev let take the top Kremlin job Putin Chair that keep it enabled lot of control over Russia's moved into the Prime Minister hurled red tape and the lever of the domestic policy. He was also managing United Russia, the State supported political behemoth that controls carried out practically all legislators in the country - from the State Duma to small urban - and whose membership is so strong with officials, which wags stacked it have called a "Union for bureaucrats."

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Jonathan promises 'new dawn' as world leaders applaud Nigeria election - CNN International

Incumbent is "significant departure" of the last elections new era changes are made means, he says Clinton: vote for brands a "dramatic shift from decades of failed elections" Nigerians in Northern States protesting the results

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) President Goodluck Jonathan pledged a "new era" for Nigeria, days after the Election Commission declared him the winner in a vote as a major improvement from recent surveys.

The last elections four years ago was widely condemned for rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation.

If by violence, reports of minors vote and logistical problems, as an observer the recent elections a improvement.

"This time, one of the differences is that local and international observers said," Yes, there are significant departure from the past ' "Jonathan said CNN."

A success world leaders declared the vote, but calls for election officials could these claims including ballot stuffing and unusually high turnout in some areas.

"This historic event a dramatic shift from decades of failed elections and an improvement in the presidential election of 2007," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague described the vote as an "important step" for the nation.

Jonathan said vote the ushers a new era for Africa's most populous nation and its largest oil producer.

", Which should tell you that we say we will do it and this is a new era", the President said. "We are working with all Nigerians to ensure that changes are made."

Jonathan comes from the oil-rich southern part of Nigeria, a region that is majority Christian.

Parts which plunged into chaos after it turned out that Jonathan had won, mostly Muslim North charge that the elections were tampered with.

Rioters took to the streets in the North, shouting the name of General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler and the main opposition candidate.

About 17,000 people fled their homes in the region as violence entbrannte, said the Nigerian Red Cross.

Jonathan appealed curfews for unity as the unrest and it provide sound alarms for the Government, the military and enforce, maintain peace.

"My brothers and sisters, we are all winners," Jonathan said earlier in the week. "In this context it is defeated no Victor and no.." "We have shown in our diversity, the progress of which remains for all celebridad Nigeria."

An investigation of the President is attributed to underway to determine the perpetrators of violence, jobless youth.

"We have been having a crisis in the North, we have been having a crisis in the South, all symptoms are the same," he told CNN. "We have a number of young people who have no source of income, we need to provide."

If no source of income, offer the Government said it will help, the youth are at risk, violence spark is paid.

He declined to go into detail on the perpetrators of violence.

He said "The Government find out formally,". "If I make some statements, I will be biased in people's minds and I don't want to accuse anyone."

Nigeria elections, staggered over three weeks, close April with the vote for Governor 26.CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report.

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Singapore plans election for may - Wall Street Journal

Singapore - Singapore Tuesday dissolved Parliament and set may 7 as the date for the general election for the ruling party expected to face its toughest political challenge in decades.

MUNSHI Ahmed/Bloomberg News Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, whose Partei 82 has 84 seats in the last elections, will the voters again face.

The people's action party, led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, holds a dominant grip makes, but analysts say rising dissatisfaction with the bread and butter issues a historically weak opposition, boost could it more seats in the 87 legislative members.

In the last elections in May 2006, the governing party of 82 won 84 seats, with 67% of the vote. This year, revisions to elections boundaries mean that three other members in this survey will be elected.

Opposition parties say that they plan to all seats, competition would be the unprecedented.

"The opposition parties in this election on a much firmer footing, with a much wider range of available information, thanks to social media, and therefore are the voters [it] far more sure that the result", said Vincent Wijeysingha, Assistant Treasurer of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party. "People want to be heard." "People want to have their concerns and their alternative ideas stock in the public domain."

No one expects that the opposition to win, or even seriously challenge the people's action party's grip makes. But a stronger opposition towards more pluralism and liberalisation is a further step in Singapore slowly.

Elections are required by February 2012, according to the Constitution, and political observers say the ruling party wants to use the still strong economy and keep a vote before inflation is a major problem.

The ruling PAP - looking for ways to attract younger voters and maintain their relevance - brings new and younger candidates. Founded by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, it has controlled in 1965 Parliament since Singapore's independence, and his legislators held all seats in the legislature until 1981.

The party is credited with creating a financial Dynamo on this small, resource-poor island: the economy will grow expected 4% to 6% this year after surging 14.5% in 2010.

But the Government faces criticism for Singapore's dependence on foreign workers, as well as for stagnant wages mounting, high inflation and an income is divide one of the largest among the developed countries - and continues to grow.

Government data show that foreigners are more than a quarter of Singapore's 5.1 million people, from 19% in the year 2000. According to the United Nations, which where NULL is City-State Gini coefficient - a measure of income inequality complete equality and reflects a maximum inequality - 0.425 for 2000-2010 was the second highest among 42 Nations with "very high human development".

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister, acknowledged Monday that inflation provide means "the ground may not be sweet" for the ruling party of this time.

"In this environment it is much more difficult to sell for the incumbent a" CIMB Economist song Seng Wun said. "It is to play enough of a wave of discontent of the opposition."

Singapore's often fragmented opposition is also better prepared, this tail winds, horseback riding, which swelled their ranks with candidates including top corporate lawyer, academics and former officials.

In four of the last nine elections half of the seats contested the opposition less than. For this election although no opposition party is strong enough, to all seats by itself, competition opposition leader agreed last month together all challenge them.

The Labour Party, which won a seat in 2006, is probably the most candidates, probably more than 20 field. The national solidarity party, Singapore social democratic party, reform party, and Singapore is people's Party also seats competition.

"This will be the most competitive election since independence, with the strongest opposition slate in Singapore's history,", said Cherian George, Associate Professor media and politics in the city state of Nanyang Technological University to study. "No one, including the PAP, is surprised, when they dipped below the 66.6% enjoyed share of the vote the ruling party in the last elections."

The public woo, has the Government unroll populist policies including stricter immigration rules, property-price cooling measures and one-off budget handouts value of 3.2 Singapore billion (US$ 2.6 billion) for low-income residents. In his manifesto published Sunday the PAP promised more jobs, higher incomes and more investment in education and infrastructure.

Keeps the former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who now control cabinets is title of Minister mentor and his son the current Prime Minister, has said he will compete in this election. If members of Parliament elected, he would be 92 years at the end of the term of Office at the age of five. But the PAP brings in 24 new candidates.

Regardless of the outcome of the vote Parliament, aircraft of constitutional changes occur at least nine opposition politicians passed last year. If less than nine are elected, will the balance be drawn from the defeated opposition candidate with the best results. But the added opposition parliamentarians "Nonconstituency members," would be with limited voting rights.

Opposition parties are other significant obstacles, including Singapore's use of a system in which most members of Parliament, in teams rather than individually be elected.

In addition, PAP have sued successfully opposition politicians for libel to leaders in the past. PAP leaders say they welcome debate and file complaints only to their reputation to protect.

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Nigeria's first election results indicate losses for the ruling party - Christian Science Monitor

On Saturday Nigeria in about 85 percent of the country in elections to the legislative elected. These elections were postponed by a week after logistical problems on 2 April, and these problems take into account the delays, which affect about 15 percent of the country further have.

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Yesterday began to get results from the districts that have voted, and the new pattern confirms what some analysts losses for the ruling people's Democratic Party (PDP) predicted, namely. So far, the action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which has much of Southwest seems a large beneficiary. The same analysts have predicted losses for the PDP in the parliamentary elections but tend to predict that acting President Goodluck Jonathan will win re-election. The PDP retains the Presidency, but the party and the President will face a different political landscape.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves - we see the results we have.

On the integrity of the voting, voting was not quite smooth on Saturday - bombs exploded in several areas, and leader of the opposition in the State of Bayelsa State observers are largely crying foul about the elections - but praised the conduct of the elections. The EU Chief Observer, said: "We have observed a generally encouraging conduct of the elections, in a generally peaceful atmosphere." The general consensus so far that seems 2011 an improvement compared to 2007.

With more confidence in the process, Nigerians and international observers show more faith in the results. It is on value paid attention as to tabular form shows the results. A Nigerian friend here has emphasised opposition parties, the Guide to the simple me in Chicago as curious, monitoring the physical tabulation of the vote. Groups from existence voters and party officials present in the polling stations, and you are to see and verify the official results, my friend says, will bring more transparency to the count. Reuters notes that this phenomenon also underlines also the logistical difficulties, which votes count in remote areas, where in some cases, results are collected by officials on the horse's back.

Now, the actual results. The best sources I've found are live updates and the choice of the coalition of Nigeria results page 234. I quote from the latter:

Senatorial elections

37 Results have 94 Senate districts would get. The analysis of the results obtained show that ACN has 13 seats (35.1 percent), APGA 1 seat (2.7 percent), CPC 3 seats (8.1 percent), LP 1 seat (2.7 percent), PDP 19 seats (51.4%)

Bundestag election House of representatives

76 Results have of 315 constituencies would get. The analysis of the results obtained show that ACCORD 3 seats (3.9 percent), ACN 21 seats (27.6%), APGA 2 seats (2.6 percent), CPC 5 seats (6.6 per cent), LP 1 seat (1.3%), PDP 43 seats (56.6 percent), PPN 1 seat (1.3%).

The coalition has also results by district.

Comment on the elections comes fast and furious. Useful analysis of the results can be found next to VOA, Bloomberg and 234. One thing that many emphasize these outlets is defeated not only the pattern of results and the strong showing of the opposition, but also the high-profile of some PDP members, such as the speaker of the House.

Do to the opposition gains for President Jonathan my trouble? The financial times writes, "the results are an indication of the public mood before the presidential polls next weekend". That could make Jonathan. On the other hand, praise for improvements in the electoral process to Jonathan is remuneration in some segments of the Nigerian press. So, the political signals are mixed well. Presidents destinies are bound in any case not always fully to the performance of their parties.

Here is my guide to the options for readers who want more background.

: Alex Thurston is a PhD student studying Islam in Africa at Northwestern University and blogs in the Sahel blog.

Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of Africa blogger. Our guest bloggers are not employed or under the direction of the monitor and the reviews are the bloggers own, such as responsibility for the content of their blogs. Here, us of a blogger contact you click.

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Nazarbayev claims victory in the presidential election Kazakh - AFP

Nazarbayev claimed victory in the Kazakh President vote(AFP) - 35 minutes ago

ASTANA - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev claimed victory in the presidential election of the country, said preliminary figures showed that he win.

"Preliminary data from the Central Electoral Commission and survey data have found that the Kazakh people, our citizens, the work endorse what I all these 20 years have done," said the Kazakh President on Monday.

"What other honors, what other support for a person is required, of the land-the President," said the veteran Kazakh leader in apparent reference to Western criticism for the vote.

Nazarbayev's comments came only Otan on a visit to the headquarters of his ruling party and were before the official release of the results of their Bericht expected later Monday, the Central Electoral Commission is issued.

An opinion poll by the pro-Government ASIP agency said that the established operator won 94.82% of the vote, while official final turnout at 89.9%--beide numbers besting Nazarbayev's performance in his last re-election in 2005.

Copyright ? 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. ?More?

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