Briefly: Africa

NIGERIA

Court overrules election challenge

ABUJA — An election tribunal has dismissed the main opposition party’s challenge over fraud claims in the April presidential election, revalidating the ruling party’s win in Africa’s most populous nation.

The Congress for Progressive Change’s election lawsuit failed to cast reasonable doubt on the results that handed victory to President Goodluck Jonathan about six months ago, said Judge Kumai Akaas, who led a panel of four judges that reached a unanimous decision.

“The petitioner did not discharge the burden of proof, even on the balance of probability,” Judge Akaas said.

Opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari's party challenged the results of the April 16 vote soon after the nation’s election body announced that Mr. Jonathan had won 22.4 million votes.

The election body said that Mr. Buhari had come in second place, with 12.2 million votes, giving Mr. Jonathan enough votes in at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states to avoid a runoff.

The opposition vowed to appeal the ruling.

“We have judgment of conscience, judgment of people and judgment of God,” opposition party Chairman Tony Momoh said.

Leading up to the vote, the opposition party had support in the country’s predominantly Muslim north, where a wave of postelection riots later left at least 500 dead and more than 40,000 people displaced.

Nigeria has a long history of violent and rigged polls since it abandoned a revolving door of military rulers and embraced democracy 12 years ago.

UGANDA

Group says government harassing, repressing critics

KAMPALA — A report from an international rights group released Tuesday said that government-backed harassment and repression of critics are increasing in Uganda.

A government spokesman called the accusations exaggerated and unfounded.

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