Main PagePolitical rhetoric rising six weeks from polls
Abuja - The main opposition lashed out at the
government on Wednesday in a series of New Year's
messages as political rhetoric rises six weeks before
much anticipated general elections.
Ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who is
challenging President Goodluck Jonathan in
February 14 polls, told "disappointed and angry"
voters that in 2015 he would restore Nigeria as "a
country that you can be proud of".
Separately, his All Progressives Congress Party
(APC), accused Jonathan's government of using the
security services as part of a campaign aimed at
"decapitating" the opposition.
Also read: Nigerian government and politics
The APC statement alleged that the intelligence
agencies and the police had been ordered by
Jonathan's government to crackdown on key
opposition leaders in the run up to the polls.
While no senior APC leaders have been arrested to
date in the campaign, one of the party's most
prominent members, House of Representatives
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, was teargassed by police
as he tried to enter parliament last month.
In his own holiday season message, Jonathan
pledged that the vote would be "free, fair, credible
and acceptable," but analysts have voiced concern
about rising tension ahead of the vote.
The International Crisis Group said in a report last
month that political rhetoric on both sides needed to
be significantly lowered to reduce the prospect of
unrest.
Buhari voiced "unshakeable faith that 2015 will be a
year of change," but experts still see Jonathan as the
favourite, with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
having controlled the presidency since the end of
military rule in 1999.
While Buhari's policy credentials have been
questioned, some see the former army general as
better placed to contain the Boko Haram uprising in
the mainly Muslim north, where more than 13,000
people have been killed since 2009.
-
government on Wednesday in a series of New Year's
messages as political rhetoric rises six weeks before
much anticipated general elections.
Ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who is
challenging President Goodluck Jonathan in
February 14 polls, told "disappointed and angry"
voters that in 2015 he would restore Nigeria as "a
country that you can be proud of".
Separately, his All Progressives Congress Party
(APC), accused Jonathan's government of using the
security services as part of a campaign aimed at
"decapitating" the opposition.
Also read: Nigerian government and politics
The APC statement alleged that the intelligence
agencies and the police had been ordered by
Jonathan's government to crackdown on key
opposition leaders in the run up to the polls.
While no senior APC leaders have been arrested to
date in the campaign, one of the party's most
prominent members, House of Representatives
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, was teargassed by police
as he tried to enter parliament last month.
In his own holiday season message, Jonathan
pledged that the vote would be "free, fair, credible
and acceptable," but analysts have voiced concern
about rising tension ahead of the vote.
The International Crisis Group said in a report last
month that political rhetoric on both sides needed to
be significantly lowered to reduce the prospect of
unrest.
Buhari voiced "unshakeable faith that 2015 will be a
year of change," but experts still see Jonathan as the
favourite, with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
having controlled the presidency since the end of
military rule in 1999.
While Buhari's policy credentials have been
questioned, some see the former army general as
better placed to contain the Boko Haram uprising in
the mainly Muslim north, where more than 13,000
people have been killed since 2009.
-
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