US urges Nigerian opposition not to boycott presidential election

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2007

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States called on Nigeria's opposition parties Wednesday not to carry out a threatened boycott of presidential elections this weekend in Africa's largest democracy.

But the State Department also called on Nigeria's government to take "immediate and comprehensive" action to prevent alleged electoral misconduct and irregularities ahead of Saturday's polls.

And it applauded a last-minute Nigerian Supreme Court ruling lifting a ban on a popular vice president and rival to outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo from running for the presidency.

State Department spokeswoman Julie Reside said the US government had been urging officials of Obasanjo's government "to address shortcomings" in electoral preparations.

"The United States...