Politics: Nigeria: Africa's most populous country goes to the polls

Christian Science Monitor carries a valuable 3-page story on the impending election in Nigeria, a flawed democracy criss-crossed by tensions that too often become political and/or violent--involving Muslims, Christians, and African Old Religionists. Sarah Simpson "Nigeria's soft-spoken top candidate Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is the ruling party's candidate in Sunday's presidential election." (Apr16,2k7)

Katsina, Nigeria - Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's face now gazes from election posters nationwide as Africa's most populous country gets set to do what it has never done before: pass rule from one civilian to another.

Until Mr. Yar'Adua emerged as the ruling party presidential candidate, few had noticed the soft-spoken Muslim governor of Katsina, one of Nigeria's most remote states. Many say he's a pawn of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Yar'Adua has completed 8 years as governor of his state of Katsina. His father was in the first Fed cabinet after independence from Britain. The candidate himself is regarded as the most conducting the most transparent style of govt of all 36 of Nigeria's states. He plans to lead a strong anti-corruption campaign. Altho, as mentioned, some say he is only a pawn of outgoing President Obosanjo, the necessity of a massive anti-corruption move is a keynote the two men hold in common and is the motive of Obosanjo's support.

If Sunday's vote goes smoothly, the fifth-largest supplier of crude oil to the United States will soon have a new president.

But that's a big if. Hundreds of people have died in pre-election violence and more than 21 people were killed in state and local government elections this Saturday.

With just days to go before the presidential vote, it is still not clear if Vice President Atiku Abubakar will be able to run or not. The electoral commission decided recently to ban him from the race based on corruption charges that he denies. The Supreme Court is set to decide Monday whether he may run on behalf of the opposition Action Congress Party. Some worry the decision could trigger more violence. ...

A devout Muslim, Yar'Adua is one of 12 northern governors to have implemented Islamic law in his state. He met with Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola last month to give assurances that, if he became president, he would protect religious freedom for all of Nigeria's 140 million people, who are split evenly between the Muslim and Christian faiths.

Inter ethno-religious peaces in a federalist framework, where some state's have enshrined Sharia law, is quite important. But not at the expense of the r+ts of Christians and Old Religionists.