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World

Opposition sweeps peaceful election despite Islamic uprising, objections from ruling party

Associated Press
Published | Updated

DAMATURU, Nigeria – The opposition All Progressives Congress swept every single seat in local government elections in a northeast Nigerian area under a state of emergency that escaped attack from Islamic extremists opposed to democracy.

Saturday's elections for 178 councilors and 17 chairmen in Yobe state were boycotted by President Goodluck Jonathan's People's Democratic Party which is disputing claims that nearly 80 percent of voters participated in the opposition stronghold.

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidan declared late Sunday that peaceful balloting took place "against the wishes of some Abuja politicians who do not know our real problems." Abuja is the capital of Africa's biggest oil producer and seat of the national electoral commission which has declared it cannot conduct 2015 presidential and legislative elections in any area under a state of emergency.