U.S. says security agencies must ensure safety at polling centres
The United States has called on
security agencies in Nigeria to ensure safety at polling stations and
prevent violence during the April general elections.
The U.S. also urged the Nigerian
government to exercise “special care” in some parts of the country
where there is “instability” including the Niger Delta, Jos and some
parts of the North.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson spoke to reporters on Tuesday via a teleconference.
“We are watching very closely, the potential for violence in the run-up to the Nigerian elections.
“Right now, we have seen regrettably
too much of that even though the level of violence in the run-up to the
2011 elections is not as serious as it was in 2007.”
On the restive areas, Mr Carson said:
“we hope that the government will exercise special care and caution in
the management of elections there to ensure that the violence that is
ongoing as a result of those local issues does not impact on the
ability of the people to cast votes.”
The US official said the April 2011
elections provided an opportunity for Nigeria to reverse “a trajectory
of bad elections”. He added: “the elections in Nigeria in 2007 were
deeply flawed and, in fact, were poorly administered and poorly run.
“They in no way reflected the ability and the capacity of Nigeria to organise and run successful elections.
“We are looking forward to Nigeria to
substantially improve its election management and Processes in 2011, by
making them better than 2007 and 2003.”
NAN</
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