Criminal Politics: Violence, “Godfathers” and Corruption in Nigeria

On the day of Nigeria’s fraudulent state elections, one Port Harcourt-based activist
told Human Rights Watch:
In the midst of all the lies and corruption going on here many people
still have some hope in the international community. So they must
speak out about these elections…A lot of people are waiting to see
what the international community will say about all of this; it is
important to us. 380
Unfortunately, while the response of key foreign allies to the failed polls was more
robust than in 2003 it remained muted and devoid of real consequence. The United
States issued a terse statement expressing “regret” at the “seriously flawed” 381 polls,
but has not followed this up with any further public criticism or specific demands for
reform or accountability. Washington’s inaction has been mirrored by the conduct of
European governments. The EU’s own election observation mission described the
polls as “not credible” and issued a scathing report, but individual European
governments did not echo that forthright criticism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel
welcomed Yar’Adua to the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany on 6-8 June 2007—
just a week after his inauguration—where he was received without any public word of
criticism or concern.
The key contribution of Western governments was to field election observer teams
that universally issued well documented and scathing reports on the polls. But some
governments seemed reluctant to accept the conclusions of their own observers.
Election observers with the EU Election Observation Mission told Human Rights
Watch that the first reaction to their reports in Brussels was displeasure at their
harsh conclusions and mild pressure that they be watered down. 382
Nigeria's African partners were even less critical. Neither the AU nor ECOWAS made
any public statements of concern in the run-up to the 2007 polls. Their comments
380 Human Rights Watch interview with Damka Pueba, Port Harcourt, April 14, 2007.
381 “Nigeria’s Elections,” United States Department of State Press Statement, April 27, 2007,
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/apr/83938.htm (accessed July 16, 2007).
382 Human Rights Watch interview with EU observer missions staff, April 25 and 27, 2007.
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Human Rights Watch October 2007