Politics

The Liberian Cabinet is working twenty-four around the clock to make sure that development, as it is unfolding at a full-scale level, remains its foremost focus far beyond 2011.

Former president Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that the PDP was being dishonest when it said President Jonathan could run for election next year on his initial joint ticket with the late Umaru Yar'adua.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Sunday that Kenya was mistaken to invite Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to last week's signing ceremony for the country's new constitution. Odinga said despite efforts to "foster good neighbourliness" it was "wrong".

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir on Friday made a surprise appearance at the Uhuru Park celebrations, defying International Criminal Court arrest warrants against him.

The Sudanese leader is subject to two arrest warrants issued by the ICC over atrocities committed in Darfur in Sudan, but the Kenyan government said that it would not arrest him.

Benin's President Yayi Boni is inching towards a legal battle he could not win over an allegation which links him to a financial scandal that is rocking the tiny West African country.

For several weeks now, many of the country's lawmakers have been championing the cause of an estimated 70,000 victims of some financial conmen alleged to be excellent bedfellows of the president.

The overwhelming support for the new constitution has increased the chances of Prime Minister Raila Odinga bagging the presidency in 2012, according to a new opinion poll published on Sunday.

The survey conducted by pollsters Infotrak Harris also shows that the winning candidate will have to carefully select his or her running mate in order to claim victory.

A ROW is brewing within the inclusive government over the timing of the next elections and the level of Sadc's involvement in any such polls as regional leaders increasingly view fresh free and fair polls as the way out of Zimbabwe's decade-long political stalemate.

After months of rumours and intense speculations, President Goodluck Jonathan will formally declare his interest in the 2011 presidential race early next month, THISDAY has learnt.

US President Barack Obama has commended Tanzania following the successful holding of the referendum that will pave way for the formation of a government of national unity in Zanzibar.

However, a State House statement yesterday quoted President Obama as cautioning that much work remains to be done as the October 31 General Election approaches.

Abuja and Matthew Onah in Yola — Former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday re-launched his bid to become the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the position of the party that he is yet to be formally accepted into its fold.

Nine in every 10 Kenyans are satisfied with the outcome of the referendum, which ushered in a new constitution.

According to the latest opinion poll conducted by Synovate, between August 7 and 9, a majority of the 9.1 million people who voted for or against the draft constitution, are of the view that the results were a true reflection of what Kenyans wanted.

Preliminary election results from the Diaspora released, late Monday, showed that the incumbent, President Paul Kagame, earned a landslide victory of 96.7 percent.

Announcing the results, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Chairman, Chrysologue Karangwa, said that, out of the 17,824 registered voters in the Diaspora, 14,242 (78%) were valid while 151 (0.8) votes were void.

South Sudan's referendum on independence, scheduled for January, should be delayed to allow more time to prepare for it, a member of the referendum commission warns.

"The time that is remaining is not enough to hold a referendum," Tarek Osman al-Taher says.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it would issue next week the guidelines for the forthcoming 2011 general elections even as it revealed that about 360,000 personnel would be recruited for the exercise.

The 'Yes' camp was leading with slightly more than 6 million votes while the 'No' side had 2.7 million votes on Thursday night.

Interim Independent Electoral Commission official Winnie Guchu said the final result was expected to be announced later.