AFRICA/NIGERIA - “We failed to achieve free, fair and credible elections” Catholic Bishops of Nigerian say on the basis of reports by 30,000 local Church observers

Abuja (Agenzia Fides)- “Reports from our observers show that once again we failed to achieve free, fair and credible elections. These reports from all over the country demonstrate that the people's mandate has been abused, traumatised and brutalised” the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria say in a statement on the outcome of presidential elections held 21 April (see Fides 20, 23 and 24 April 2007). The statement is signed by Bishops' conference president Archbishop Felix Alaba Adeosin Job of Ibadan, and Archbishop Joseph Edra Ukpo of the diocese of Calabar head of the Bishops' Church and Society Commission.
The Bishops assessed the elections on the basis of information collected by over 30,000 observers engaged all over the country by the Bishops' Justice and Peace and Development Commission.
The national electoral commission assigned the victory to vice president Umaru Yar'Adua, but the result was rejected by the Opposition which has called for the elections to be repeated. The European Union (“elections non credible” according to the head of the EU delegation) and various NGOs also harshly criticised the electoral process. Facts reported by the local and international electoral observers included delayed opening of polling stations, not enough voting papers, uncalled for army pressure on electors, atmosphere of violence and intimidation in various parts of the country. In violence connected with the electoral process in the past week, more than 200 people died.
African countries have not criticised the elections and the first leader to congratulate the newly elected president was South Africa's head of state Thabo Mbeki. Umaru Yar'Adua will be installed on 29 April taking over from his mentor, outgoing president Olusegun Obasanjo. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/4/2007 righe 30 parole 320)