Nigeria | US, UK: Signs of political interference in election

A young Nigerian girl walks past election posters, some showing presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, in Kaduna, Nigeria

The United States and Britain said yesterday here are signs that the vote counting for Nigeria’s presidential election may be subverted by “deliberate political interference.”
A joint statement says the countries would be “very concerned” by any attempts to undermine the independence of the electoral commission and distort the will of the Nigerian people.
The statement came just before the electoral commission began the official collation of votes from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, in the presence of party representatives, national and international observers and media. The adding up of votes from all over Nigeria began about two hours later than scheduled.
For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a presidential vote appears too close to call, analysts have said of the high-stakes election to govern Africa’s richest and most populous nation. The race has come down to a contest between President Goodluck Jonathan and former military dictator Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
“So far, we have seen no evidence of systemic manipulation of the process. But there are disturbing indications that the collation process — where the votes are finally counted — may be subject to deliberate political interference,” said a statement signed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart, Philip Hammond.
“The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom would be very concerned by any attempts to undermine the independence of the Electoral Commission (INEC), or its chairman, Prof. (Attahiru) Jega; or in any way distort the expressed will of the Nigerian people,” the statement said.
There was no immediate comment from Nigeria’s ruling party or government.
Nigerians are waiting in hope and fear for results of a presidential election in which voting was relatively smooth nationwide despite technical glitches, deadly attacks by Islamic extremists and allegations of political thuggery in some areas.
The winner of the vote in Africa’s most populous and richest nation could be announced late Monday or on Tuesday, electoral officials said. MDT/AP