Nigeria's ruling party faces possible runoff

AP

26 March 2011

Nigeria's ruling party faces possible runoff

ABUJA, Nigeria – A group of women danced around the perimeter of a ruling party rally in Nigeria's capital Saturday, their eyes peering out of masks of President Goodluck Jonathan's face.

The masks seemed imply everyone identifies with Jonathan, an accidental state governor who took power in the oil-rich nation after the death of its elected Muslim leader last year. But this is a nation of 150 million people, two major religions, 250 ethnicities and a populace tired of unkept promises by a government spending billions of unaccounted-for dollars.

With Jonathan losing support and opposition parties gaining ground, Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party faces what could be its first serious challenge in holding onto power in a country where democracy took hold only 12 years ago. Some even suggest the April 9 presidential election could be pushed into a second round of voting, which would be a first for Nigeria and a true test of democracy for a nation with a history of marred polls.