Abuja, May 29: The Nigerian President, Olesegun Obasanjo, is to be sworn in today for a second four-year term of office - marking the first successful transition from one democratic government to another since the country's independence in 1960. He won a decisive victory in an election held last month, winning almost twice as many votes as his nearest rival.
For most of the time since independence, the country has been ruled by a series of military dictatorships.
But there is a growing optimism that although this latest election process was marred in controversy, the democratic process is now firmly entrenched in Nigeria.

Whatever his critics might now be saying about the manner of his victory, this second election triumph is an impressive achievement for Mr Obasanjo.

In a country where a small group of soldiers held a tight grip on the reins of power for as long as most Nigerians can remember, he has, over the past four years, been able to steer the country to a point where few here now believe the military have any serious plans to return to government.
But that achievement has come at a high price.


Former army men are still very much at the centre of government. Bureau Report