National Endowment for Democracy
Publications >> International Forum Publications >> The 1999 Elections and the Future of Nigeria
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • About this Report

  • Conference Agenda

  • Session 1: Assessing Elections: How Free and Fair?

  • Session 2: Prospects for Democracy in Nigeria

  • Luncheon Address

  • Conference Panelists

  • Award Presentation Agenda

  • Remarks by Congressman Benjamin Gilman

  • Award Presentation by Congressman Donald Payne

  • Award Acceptance Speech by Clement Nwankwo
    		• On 18 March 1999, the National Endowment for Democracy's International Forum for Democratic Studies and the African Studies Program of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) convened a half-day conference in Washington, D.C., to examine Nigeria's transition to civilian rule. The conference brought together leading scholars and policy experts from the United States and Nigeria who sought to assess Nigeria's local, legislative, and presidential elections of December 1998-February 1999 and to identify effective strategies for democratization.

    The conference was divided into two sessions: 1) "Assessing the Elections: How Free and Fair?"; and 2) "Prospects for Democracy in Nigeria." In addition, Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) delivered a luncheon address.

    Nigeria was also the focus of a reception held on Capitol Hill on 25 May 1999, at which the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) presented its 1999 Democracy Award to Nigeria's Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of more than 60 Nigerian civic organizations. The TMG was honored for its work in monitoring the preelection period in Nigeria, organizing voter education campaigns, and training and mobilizing nearly 11,000 independent election observers. The Award was presented by Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) and accepted by Clement Nwankwo, chairman of the TMG's coordinating committee. Other speakers included Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering, Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-IN), and Congressmen Benjamin Gilman (R-NY), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), and Edward Royce (R-CA).

    This report briefly summarizes the discussions at the conference in March and also includes excerpts from presentations made at the award ceremony in May 1999. It was written by Michele Learner, NED Assistant Program Officer for Africa and edited by the International Forum for Democratic Studies. Any errors in fact or interpretation should be attributed to the author and editors. The views expressed in the report do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for Democracy, the Inter-national Forum for Democratic Studies, or the African Studies Program at SAIS.

    The March conference, which was hosted by SAIS, was supported by a grant to the International Forum from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Carnegie Corporation does not take responsibility for any statements or views expressed herein. The Democracy Award ceremony was made possible in part by a grant from the Goals for Americans Foundation (President: Paul Flum; Executive Director, Washington, D.C.: Steve MacDonald).

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