Nigerian Presidential Election Update - Dare Obasanjo's weblog

April 21, 2003

@ 12:58 AM

It currently looks like my dad is the favorite to win. I remember 4 years ago sitting in a hotel room with my dad when he originally told me that after talking with a couple of his friends (especially Andy Young) he'd decided to run for president. At the time he had just been freed from prison and it was clear that he could ride that momentum coupled which his past experience would give him a good shot at winning. When he told me about it, I was against the idea and remember him saying that I was probably the first member of our family who he'd spoken to about the idea who was against it. He went ahead with it anyway and here we are again, this time wondering if he is going to get re-elected.

I'm still not sure which way I lean. Nigeria has never had successive civilian governments instead there have always been military interventions via coups. The last time there was a civilian government where elections were held and the incumbent president stayed in power he was immediately ousted, ironically by the person who is my dad's chief opponent in this year's elections. This was in 1984. Civilian government lasted a full-term (4+ years) before it ended.

A successful election held by a civilian government which was not eventually challenged by the military is uncharted territory for Nigeria. I wonder what's going to happen this time.

If you are interested in the Nigeria's checkered past with regards to civilian and military government, read the AFRICAN HISTORY TIMELINE: Independent Nigeria

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