Nigeria: Thousands protest for election reform

Thousands of protesters marched in Nigeria’s capital to demand electoral reforms before the coming 2011 presidential election.

The crowds held signs during Wednesday’s march demanding the current head of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission not be reappointed. Abduwahid Omar, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, told the gathered crowds that reforms must be credible if the results of next year’s elections are to be taken seriously.

In 2007, Nigeria saw its first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in a nation long beset by military dictatorships. However, the election was marred by fraud, intimidation and violence.

Source: The Associated Press.