2007年VOA标准英语-Court Rulings Cast Shadow Over Crucial Vote in

By Sarah Simpson
Abuja
05 April 2007

Vice¹ President Atiku Abubakar is battling in the Nigerian courts to get his name on ballot² slips for a crucial presidential poll on April 21. But after two courts this week issued divergent rulings, it looks increasingly unlikely that the matter will be resolved before voting day, casting a pall³ over the forthcoming ballot. Sarah Simpson has more from Nigeria's capital, Abuja.

Less than three weeks before election day, Vice President Atiku Abubakar is fighting in the courts to get his name back on the presidential ballot.

The April 21 polls are a crucial milestone⁴ for this unruly, oil-rich nation, marking the first time that power will pass from one elected civilian⁵ head of state to another. But Abubakar's series of unresolved court battles are throwing a shadow over the polls.

Abubakar, who was viewed as a leading contender for the presidency⁶, was last month barred from running as a presidential candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission - the body organizing the forthcoming polls. The commission said Abubakar could not stand because he is facing corruption⁷ charges.

This week, two Nigerian courts issued seemingly conflicting decisions regarding Abubakar's candidacy.

First, the Court of Appeal - Nigeria's second highest court - ruled Tuesday that the electoral commission has the power to remove candidates from the ballot for crimes, including corruption.

But later the same day, the lower Federal High Court ruled that Abubakar's name should be put back on the ballot as the panel that found the vice president guilty of corruption was not lawful⁸.

Both decisions are to be appealed.

At a news conference in the capital, Abuja, Abubakar said that he would abide⁹ by the final decisions of the courts, even if their ruling is not in his favor.

"Of course, if that is the decision of the court, I will accept, why not," he said.

But it is uncertain whether the argument will be resolved before polling day, less than three weeks away.

The chairman of the electoral commission, Maurice Iwu, has repeatedly said that the polls will not be rescheduled or delayed.

A report by U.S.-based Human Rights Watch this week said that efforts to bar Abubakar have thrown doubt over how fair the polls will be.

 

Abubakar says that the electoral commission is partisan¹⁰ and is being used by his foe¹¹, President Olusegun Obasanjo, to destroy his presidential ambitions, threatening democracy.

"Our democracy is in serious trouble," he said. "Our democracy has been bastardized and turned into a government of one man by one man and for one man."

The president and vice president had a very public falling-out after Abubakar openly condemned¹² a bid to change the constitution, which could have enabled President Obasanjo to run for a third term in office.

Umaru Yar'Adua, 30 March 2007

Obasanjo is backing a little-known northern governor, Umaru Yar'Adua, as ruling party candidate and his favored successor.

At a prior news conference, Yar'Adua told reporters that he is confident that the Nigerian courts could resolve the matter, and would do so in accordance with Nigerian law.

"What is really important is that we get the rule of law to be established and be respected and the personalities¹³ involved should take second place," he said.

Elections for state governors are to take place April 14. Presidential polls will be held a week later.

There are about 61 million registered voters in Nigeria, Africa's most populous¹⁴ nation. There are only 15 days left to produce and distribute ballot sheets, with or without Abubakar's name on them.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 pall   

v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕

参考例句：

• Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。
• I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。

4 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 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。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

9 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

10 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

11 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

12 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

13 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

14 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。