Big news coming from Nigeria as President Goodluck Jonathan is ousted in an election and for the first time in Nigeria's history a sitting President has been removed by the ballot box. Clearly this is a historic day for Nigeria and it will be interesting to look at how post-election tension will manifest, or if the transition will be entirely peaceful. Read the linked article above, research to find out more and contribute below. I will not be giving you much guidance here, but try to connect it to the concepts we have learned thus far in the course. Some possible starting points would be regional/ethnic/religious differences, rule of law, free and fair elections, role of media, NGOs (monitoring the election), etc. All I want is a discussion of the election and the possible implications for the future of Nigeria.
In other news, Iran's foreign minister, Zarif, says that he is hopeful for a nuclear deal, as the negotiations are coming to a close. This post will require more research as the linked article is bare bones. Again, I am simply looking for insightful discussion linking the ongoing negotiations to concepts in class and an examination of their possible implications. These posts will serve as two opportunities for assignment points. Do one or both.
From the surface, Nigeria’s election seems legitimate, and possibly Nigeria’s first fair election. The fact that an opposing candidate won the presidency shows the increase in democracy despite Nigeria’s long history of military coups. The peaceful transition from Jonathan to Buhari shows the decrease in the role of the military in the government. However, Buhari won most of the votes in the north and north-east, showing the presence of continued ethnic/religious divisions in the state, but it division has shown to decrease over time with more support for a candidate throughout the country. This election is a step toward a fully democratic Nigeria, putting its militaristic history in the past.
ReplyDeleteThe optimism from Iran’s foreign minister shows a potential lessening of tensions between the U.S and Iran. Reaching a nuclear deal will greatly help Iran due to the sanctions in place at the moment, and show the U.S’s diplomatic ability. It is beneficial for both parties and helps international relations. This is a step toward greater international cooperation in the future between the U.S and the Middle East.