2011 Nigerian presidential election
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73,528,040 registered voters[1] 25% in each of 2/3 States + Majority[2] votes needed to win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 53.68%[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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States won by Jonathan (in green), Buhari (blue), and Ribadu (purple) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nigeria portal |
Presidential elections were held in
Immediately after the election widespread violence erupted in the northern, Muslim parts of the country.[6] Jonathan was declared the winner on 19 April.[7] However, international observers declared the election to be "orderly, free and fair" in the entire southern half of the country.[8]
Background
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According to a
Candidates
Due to the zoning system, a Northern Muslim candidate, Ibrahim Babangida, a former general and military ruler, and Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, ran for the presidency. After initial doubts,[9] the interim president Goodluck Jonathan declared his intention to run for the presidency on 18 September 2010.[12] Muhammadu Buhari was seen as the principal opposition to Jonathan besides Nuhu Ribadu.[13]
In 2011, sixty-three political parties were registered in Nigeria[14] Online newspaper Naija Gist reported that twenty-one parties were fielding candidates, but listed only 19. Only one woman, Ebiti Ndok, was running.[15]
Campaign
Following a bombing in Abuja during Nigeria's 50th anniversary of Independence celebrations and the arrest and interrogation of the Director General of Babangida campaign, Raymond Dokpesi, there were calls for him to quit the race. In addition, others who linked his affiliates to the blasts. He responded in saying it would be "idiotic to link" him with attack. Even before the blasts, however, some of his former loyalists, popularly called "IBB Boys," apparently asked him to quit the presidential race to avoid being rubbished by a non-General.[21][22]
Controversy
- Postponement
In September 2010, the election commission requested a postponement of the polls citing the need for more time to overhaul the national electoral register. Critics were upset over the proposal.[23] The election was postponed from January to April 2011 due to the release of a new electronic voter registration software.[4]
- Pre-election violence
In December 2010, bombs went off in
Results
The elections was reported in the international media as having run smoothly with relatively little violence or voter fraud in contrast to previous elections, in particular the widely disputed
The United States
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
People's Democratic Party | 22,495,187 | 58.87 | ||
Muhammadu Buhari | Congress for Progressive Change | 12,214,853 | 31.97 | |
Nuhu Ribadu | Action Congress of Nigeria | 2,079,151 | 5.44 | |
Ibrahim Shekarau | All Nigeria Peoples Party | 917,012 | 2.40 | |
Mahmud Waziri | People for Democratic Change | 82,243 | 0.22 | |
Nwadike Chikezie | Peoples Mandate Party | 56,248 | 0.15 | |
Lawson Igboanugo Aroh | Peoples Progressive Party | 54,203 | 0.14 | |
Peter Nwangwu | African Democratic Congress | 51,682 | 0.14 | |
Iheanyichukwu Nnaji | Better Nigeria Progressive Party | 47,272 | 0.12 | |
Chris Okotie | Fresh Democratic Party | 34,331 | 0.09 | |
Dele Momodu | National Conscience Party | 26,376 | 0.07 | |
Akpona Solomon | National Majority Democratic Party | 25,938 | 0.07 | |
Lawrence Makinde Adedoyin | African Political System | 23,740 | 0.06 | |
Ebiti Ndok | United National Party for Development | 21,203 | 0.06 | |
John Dara | National Transformation Party | 19,744 | 0.05 | |
Rasheed Shitta-Bey | Mega Progressive Peoples Party | 16,492 | 0.04 | |
Yahaya Ndu | African Renaissance Party | 12,264 | 0.03 | |
Ambrose Awuru | Hope Democratic Party | 12,023 | 0.03 | |
Patrick Utomi | Social Democratic Mega Party | 11,544 | 0.03 | |
Chris Nwaokobia | Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria | 8,472 | 0.02 | |
Total | 38,209,978 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 38,209,978 | 96.81 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 1,259,506 | 3.19 | ||
Total votes | 39,469,484 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 73,528,040 | 53.68 | ||
Source: INEC |
Post-election violence
The election sparked riots in Northern Nigeria. According to Human Rights Watch about 140 were killed in political violence before the election alone, between November 2010 until 17 April 2011, the day after the election. According to the head of a leading Nigerian civil rights group living in Kaduna, more than 500 mostly Muslim people had been killed in three villages just in Kaduna since 16 April 2011. A speaker for the "Open Society Justice Initiative" stated the only comparable episodes of violence occurred in the mid-1960s and early 1980s, which both led to government overthrow. Buhari had refused to condemn possible violent reaction to the election result, which has been interpreted as an invitation to his supporters to riot. Up to 1,000 people could have died in post-election violence.[29]
Further reading
- John A. Ayoade, and Adeoye A. Akinsanya, eds. Nigeria's Critical Election, 2011 (Lexington Books; 2012)
References
- ^ a b "Voter turnout data for Nigeria". International IDEA. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ^ "Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections" (PDF). Abuja: Independent National Electoral Commission. January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ^ "Nigeria to hold presidential election on 9 April". BBC News. 23 November 2010.
- ^ a b Nigeria’s General Elections Postponed From January To April As A New Voter Registration Software Is Released By The Inec All West Africa News Archived 2 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Nigeria Elections postponed for second time". Aljazeera News. 3 April 2011.
- ^ "Jonathan rival rejects vote result as thousands flee Nigeria unrest". Daily Nation. Kenya. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ Purefoy, Christian (19 April 2011). "Widespread election violence erupts in Nigeria". CNN. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
- ^ "Jonathan rival rejects vote result as thousands flee Nigeria unrest". 3 July 2020.
- ^ a b Nigeria sets presidential poll date Al Jazeera English, 7 September 2010
- ISBN 978-1-139-47203-6.
- ^ Maja-Pearce, Adewale (16 August 2010). "Nigeria's 2011 presidential race tests North-South powersharing agreement". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ Jonathan declares Nigeria poll bid Al Jazeera English, 18 September 2010
- ^ "Breaking News, World News and Video from al Jazeera". english.aljazeera.net. Archived from the original on 13 April 2011.
- ^ The Nigerian Voice| BATTLE OVER 'MEGA' TEARS TWO PARTIES APART 14 October 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Ndujihe, Clifford (n.d.). "Nigeria Presidential Candidate List for 2011 and Their Empty Promises". Naija Gist. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to seek one term". BBC News. 1 February 2011.
- ^ "Nigeria 2011 Presidential Candidates". Indepth Africa. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Nigeria ex-military ruler picked for presidency bid". Reuters. 5 January 2011. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011.
- ^ a b Nossiter, Adam (16 April 2011). "Nigerians Vote in Presidential Election". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ Adisa, Taiwo (9 October 2010). "Abuja Bomb Blasts: Odds Against IBB". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ Abuja Bomb Blasts: Odds Against IBB Archived 14 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ A.A, Ujo (2000). Understanding elections. Anyaotu Enterprises and Publisher.
- ^ Plea to postpone Nigeria poll Al Jazeera English, 21 September 2010
- ^ "Bombs, shootings hit Nigeria before election year". Reuters. 29 December 2010. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011.
- ^ "Timeline: Tensions in Nigeria". Al Jazeera. 26 December 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ Johnnie Carson (28 April 2011). "The Recent Elections in Nigeria". Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs.
- ^ Smith, David (17 April 2011). "Goodluck Jonathan opens unassailable lead in Nigeria's presidential election". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Opposition claims irregularities in Nigeria's presidential election". france24.com. 20 April 2011.
- ^ Nossiter, Adam (24 April 2011). "Election Result Fuels Deadly Clashes in Nigeria". The New York Times.