Time running out for Nigerian electoral reform

By Randy Fabi

ABUJA (Reuters) - Time is running out for Nigeria to implement electoral reforms if it is to avoid a repeat at 2011 national elections of flawed polls that caused a long period of political uncertainty two years ago.

The April 2007 polls which brought President Umaru Yar'Adua to power were so marred by ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation that local and foreign observers said they were not credible and the opposition rejected the results.

It took almost two years for legal challenges to Yar'Adua's election victory to be overthrown, undermining his authority, slowing government decision-making and unnerving foreign investors in Africa's most populous nation.

"Nigerians will not accept a re-run of the type of election run in 2007," said Samuel Egwu, convenor of the Citizens Forum for Constitutional Reform.

Some of the 36 state elections held alongside the 2007 presidential poll are still being challenged in court.

Yar'Adua promised weeks after his election victory to review the conduct of the polls, but progress has been slow.

An electoral committee he appointed has recommended dozens of reforms including independent funding for the INEC electoral commission, breaking INEC up so it can better focus on electoral conduct, and prosecution for election riggers.

Nigeria's cabinet has backed many of the recommendations. But it rejected plans to remove the president's right to choose the INEC chairman and a proposal that all electoral petitions be settled within six months after polls.