Nigeria’s New President Pledges To Tackle Oil Violence

Nigeria’s president-elect, Umaru Yar’Adua, intends to tackle violence in the Niger Delta by initiating dialogue with “militants” when he assumes office.
Yar’Adua, who won the disputed election, said he would get to work immediately on solving the crisis in the Delta. “You can expect a clear plan to be developed for the solution of the problem of the Niger Delta,” Yar’Adua said in response to what he would do in his first 100 days as president.
Although Yar’Adua is from northern Nigeria, his vice-president will be Goodluck Jonathan, currently governor of oil-producing Bayelsa State. “The vice-president is going to be very active in seeking solutions to the problems of the Niger Delta, in particular the activities of the militants,” Yar’Adua said, adding that Jonathan would help the government build trust in the region.
Yar’Adua also dismissed concerns that his government lacked legitimacy because of the well-documented and widespread vote-rigging. So he’s off to a good start then…