Vol 51 No 23 | NIGERIA Jonathan’s Delta blues 19th November 2010 Despite the President’s political base in the oil-rich Niger Delta, militant groups are on the march again and abandoning the amnesty deal A new coalition of fighters in the Niger Delta has emerged to oppose President Goodluck Jonathan’s amnesty and has launched a new round of violence. A younger generation...
Vol 51 No 21 | NIGERIA The gangs of Port Harcourt 22nd October 2010 After the Abuja bombings, the political process turns back to the Niger Delta, where militants are frustrated by the aftermath of the amnesty deal Bomb blasts in Abuja on 1 October killed twelve people. They could foretell more trouble to come and it is still not clear who was responsible, despite an...
Vol 51 No 21 | NIGERIA Ready for change in the Niger Delta 22nd October 2010 If the amnesty fails and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta resumes its armed struggle, figures from the past and future of Delta militancy will...
Vol 51 No 20 | NIGERIA The politics takes over again 8th October 2010 Bold reform plans are put on hold as the battle for Aso Rock intensifies The brief interest shown by President Goodluck Jonathan's government in economic reform seems to be waning in favour of a concentration on short-term tactics that might help his...
Vol 51 No 20 | NIGERIA The car bomb whodunit 8th October 2010 Whoever was responsible for the car bombs that killed 12 people in Abuja during the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's Independence on 1 October and whatever their motives, they...
Vol 51 No 19 | NIGERIA A false start 24th September 2010 Doubts about the election timetable, dissension in the President’s party and some surprise new candidates are changing everyone’s calculations The tight election timetable announced at the beginning of the month is now being questioned again by election officials, civil activists and most of the contesting candidates (AC...
Vol 51 No 19 | NIGERIA The field gets more crowded 24th September 2010 There is no shortage of candidates or political parties contesting the presidential election due early next year; the exact timetable (AC Vol 51 No 18) is under review...
Vol 51 No 18 | NIGERIA Good man, impossible job 10th September 2010 Despite the time constraints, hopes for straight elections are vested in the Electoral Commission’s impressive Chairman Attahiru Jega Everyone, in and out of government, acclaimed the appointment in June of academic and trades unionist Attahiru Jega as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Now with...
Vol 51 No 18 | NIGERIA A tight election timetable 10th September 2010 Key events in the coming months Opposition parties, trades unions and civic activists are protesting against the breakneck schedule announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for presidential elections on 22 January 2010....
Vol 51 No 16 | NIGERIA Goodluck with the numbers 6th August 2010 President Jonathan is slowly winning over the governors and party barons - but time is short The arithmetic is not right yet but Goodluck Jonathan is making steady progress in his bid for the candidacy of his party in next year's presidential elections. Last...