Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Friday, December 17, 2010

Coalition building

No, not in the UK. In Nigeria. After a group of northern politicians endorsed one former vice president, half the country's governors endorsed another former vice president (and current president). Politics within the ruling party are active.

Goodluck Jonathan gets boost to Nigeria election bid

A group of Nigeria's powerful governors have said they will back President Goodluck Jonathan for next year's elections - seen as a major boost to his campaign.

Half of the 36 governors backed Mr Jonathan's bid to be selected as the ruling party's candidate.

Whoever wins the PDP nomination will be the favourite for the April 2011 poll.

Mr Jonathan, a southerner, is opposed by some in the PDP, who say the party should choose a northerner…

The PDP has 26 of Nigeria's 36 state governors and, in the party's structures, they wield considerable power.
In previous primaries, they have instructed delegates from their states how to vote.
So the BBC's Bashir Saad Abdullahi in Abuja says their announcement is a significant boost for Mr Jonathan…

Nigeria's recent elections have been tarnished by fraud and violence.

Mr Jonathan has promised to introduce electoral reforms, but correspondents say it will be difficult to implement radical changes before April.

The main opposition candidates are former anti-corruption campaigner Nuhu Ribadu and Gen Muhammadu Buhari.