AP News, December 10th, 2006
The governing party suspended gubernatorial primaries in at least two of Nigeria's 36 states on Saturday following candidate protests and violent clashes in the West African country, government officials said.
A police officer was killed in Benue state by a mob that was protesting results from last week's state legislature elections, police spokesman Samuel Jinadu said.
And in Nigeria's oil-rich south, Delta state primaries also were halted after a small group of politicians held a mock primary election Friday to protest their exclusion from running in Saturday's race.
Jinadu said both primaries would be held on Tuesday.
Competition is fierce for government posts in Nigeria, and endorsement by the governing party is seen as a huge boost for any candidate.
The governing People's Democratic Party currently controls both the House and the Senate, as well as more than two-thirds of the state governorships.
Saturday's primaries set the stage for national elections in April, being held at the same time as a presidential vote. The presidential ballot will mark the first time an elected Nigerian government has handed power to another since the country gained independence from Britain in 1960.
The president and the majority of the state governors have served the constitutional limit of two terms.
Nigeria's last elections in 2003 were marred by widespread allegations of violence and rigging by international observers.
Nigeria receives tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues every year, but is tied as the sixth most corrupt country in the world, according to Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International.
Poverty is widespread and political thuggery common. Hundreds of people are competing for the lucrative state governorships and the immunity from prosecution that goes with the post.
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Associated Press writers Osmond Chidi in Warri, William Nsoyoh in Yenagoa, Dan Udoh in Port Harcourt and Bulus Gambo in Jos contributed to this report.
