2006年VOA标准英语-Political Assassination Triggers Outrage in Nig

By Gilbert da Costa
28 July 2006

Nigerian politicians are condemning¹ the assassination² of a leading candidate to be governor of the coastal³ city of Lagos. Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reports for VOA that the killing⁴ has prompted concerns that the run-up to elections next year could be bloody⁵.

-------

A recent campaign poster in Lagos shows gubernatorial hopeful Funso Williams, who murdered at his home 27 July 2007
   
  
The killing of Funsho Williams was the second apparent political assassination this month. Inter-ethnic killings⁶ and clashes between supporters of rival politicians have been on the rise in Nigeria as the west African nation prepares for crucial elections next year.

Funsho Williams was a leading member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), which is locked in a bitter internal struggle over party tickets for coveted⁷ posts.

Wunmi Bewaji, a member of the Federal house of Representatives, worries about the impact of the political violence. 

"I [have] been worried in the last one month, being in Lagos, with the intra-party strife⁸ within the PDP. It has been so bad that it is making people to feel uncomfortable in the state. In the last three weeks, there have been three clashes, one in Badary, one in Ikorodu, one in Kushafe. So, the atmosphere has been very, very bad," he said.

Bewaji says the violence could seriously undermine the credibility of the elections, and Nigeria's democracy.

"The greed for power, the desperation for power is taking over the reasoning faculties⁹ of some people, and that is where we need to be very careful," he added.  "Because any election where violence is allowed to play a prominent role, cannot be adjudged to be a free and fair election.  Where candidates are even afraid of coming out of their houses, that cannot be a free and fair election."

The badly equipped police have shown limited ability to halt the politically motivated violence, and several apparent political killings since the return to democracy in 1999 remain unsolved.

The presidency¹⁰, parliamentary and governors seats are at stake in elections scheduled for April 2007.

The elections should mark the first time an elected government hands over power to another since Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960.

1 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

6 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

9 faculties   

n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院

参考例句：

• Although he's ninety, his mental faculties remain unimpaired. 他虽年届九旬，但头脑仍然清晰。
• All your faculties have come into play in your work. 在你的工作中，你的全部才能已起到了作用。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。