OBASANJO CALLS FOR NEW POLITICAL ORIENTATION IN AFRICA

DAILY NATION
By XINHUA
March 5 2010
LAGOS,NIGERIA

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo says a new orientation for politicians in Africa is imperative in order to achieve free and fair elections.

Obasanjo, who was speaking to reporters on arrival from Togo, noted that there are no bad elections only bad politicians.

Mr Obasanjo had led African Union officials to Lome, Togo, to monitor the country’s just-concluded presidential poll. “Bad elections do not always occur, what we have are bad politicians,” he said.

Mr Olusegun commended the conduct of Togo’s presidential election, saying the election was good and the preparation was reasonable. “We are waiting for the declaration of the result,” he said.

The election ends the first term of outgoing Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe, who came to power after a hotly contested election in 2005.