Niger: Contested referendum holds today

  1. Posted on Tuesday 4 August 2009 - 11:49
    KingsleyKobo
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    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    Amid local protests and international condemnations, Niger's proposed referendum which would allow President Mamadou Tandja to have more terms in office, holds on Tuesday. Opposition parties have been calling on voters to boycott the polls, which they dubbed as a coup d'etat.
    niger map
    In his closing argument on Monday in state media, Prime Minister Seini Oumarou called on Nigeriens to vote “yes” to changing the constitution, which will improve their lives. A vote for “no” will mean abandoning the country in poverty, according to him.

    If “yes” wins today’s vote, Tandja, 71, would be able to seek a third term and subsequent terms, with no more restriction. He has ruled the West African nation since 1999, and was due to step down this year after serving two terms. Niger’s constitution allows only two terms for a president.

    But the president’s supporters argue he brought prosperity to one of the poorest nations in the world and therefore needs more terms to realize some of his other projects like the River Niger dam project, which is intended to boost electricity generation and provide irrigation to help local farmers.

    After dissolving parliament and the constitutional court, Tandja now governs his country with decrees and ordinances.

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