By Toye Olori
LAGOS, Apr 26 2003 (IPS)

-Despite the rejection by Nigeria’s main opposition party of the results of the presidential polls, election tribunals have been inaugurated and the re-elected President Olusegun Obasanjo has promised the nation a competent and broad-based cabinet

On Friday Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Mohammed Uwais, inaugurated and swore-in the first batch of members of the election tribunal. He called on them to be transparent and fair to all when dealing with claims of irregularities.

Uwais also dismissed allegations that the tribunals would not do justice to election petitions because they are appointed by the government. He said the election tribunal was appointed by the Court of Appeals, therefore it was ridiculous to even question the authenticity of the process.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Obasanjo said Nigerians of all track record and talents would be appointed into his cabinet whether they were party members or not and whether the person contested the elections or not.

"I will utilise Nigerians who have talents and track records and whose services are required irrespective of parties or irrespective of whether you contested elections or not. It will not be on party affiliation that I will tell you to come on board," he said.

Obasanjo said agriculture would be the major thrust of his administration after May 29, when he is expected to be sworn-in for the second four-year term as Nigeria’s president. He said his government would give more attention to agriculture and that the state governments would also be encouraged to do more in this direction as the sector would guarantee more employment.

Obasanjo’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 72 of the 105 seats in the 109 seats Senate. Four seats are yet to be declared. The PDP also got 1999 seats in the 360 House of Representative seats. Six seats are yet to be declared.

The results of the presidential elections are being contested by the Presidential candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, (APP) General Muhammadu Buhari. The APP has called on the international community not to recognise any government formed by President Obasanjo saying "such a government would lack credibility and legitimacy".

Buhari also called for the cancellation of the election and the holding of fresh elections in the South-east and South-south zones as well as some Northern states like Bauchi, Katsina, Benue and Nasarwa states where the PDP won. "Otherwise there will would be no government from May 30 in this country," he warned.

Buhari lost in his home state Katsina in the state governors election but his party had earlier won two of the three senate seats in the state.

Despite the protests, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week presented Obasanjo with the certificate of election.

Reacting to Buhari’s criticisms, the government has warned that it will not tolerate such statements which, it says, are aimed at instigating a crisis in the country and inciting the public to violence

Some civil society members have also condemned Buhari’s actions which, they say, lack credibility particularly given the fact that in 1983 Buhari truncated the democratically-elected government of President Shehu Shagari, a northerner.

Primate Sunday Mbang, chairperson of the Christian Association of Nigeria, has called for the arrest of Buhari, a call which is supported by some Nigerians interviewed by IPS.

"The election tribunals are there for any aggrieved politician to seek redress. Buhari’s comments are inciting and he must not be allowed to throw this country into chaos again because he lost an election. If he is sure of himself, he should wait for 2007 and seek re-election, that is the best thing to do," says Sumbo Okeowo, a hairdresser.

Meanwhile messages of congratulations have been received by President Obasanjo from world leaders. Among them are President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Abdulaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Ahmed Tejan Kabah of Sierra Leone, Abduolaye Wade of Senegal, Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Other messages include those from the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don Mckinnon, the African Union and the World Bank. McKinnon apparently described Obasanjo’s re-election as a clear acknowledgement of his vision for Africa and hard work in office.

”The elections also represent a land-mark transfer of power from one civilian administration to another and constitute a good sign that democratic processes and institutions in Nigeria are growing from strength to strength,” he said. (ENDS/IPS/AF/WF/IP/TO/SM/03)

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