VOA标准英语2009年-Nigerian Opposition Parties Seek Grand Coa

Nigerian opposition¹ politicians are discussing the formation of a broad-based opposition party that can wrest² power from the ruling People's Democratic Party in elections scheduled for 2011. The PDP has dominated the Nigerian political landscape since the return to civil democracy in 1999, but has also been blamed for election-related violence, intimidation³ and rigging.

Representatives of 20 opposition parties say only a grand coalition⁴ of the opposition can wrest power from the ruling People's Democratic Party in 2011. The opposition leaders, who met this week in Abuja, said they agreed in principle on the formation of what they called a mega party to defeat the ruling party. Balarabe Musa, a former state governor, speaks for the group.

"The only peaceful alternative is for the opposition, or rather patriotic⁵ Nigerians to come together in one form or the other, and to make sure that the one-party dictatorship does not survive after the 2011 elections," he said. "We are considering three options; a mega political party or an alliance of political parties, or a combination of the two."
　
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua (file photo)

In 2007, President Umaru Yar'Adua was elected in a poll that was described by international and local observers as not credible⁶. Mr. Yar'Adua has proposed reforms to ensure improvements in future elections, but progress has been slow.

Musa says the opposition is skeptical⁷ about the ruling party's commitment to free and credible elections in Nigeria.

"They have made it quite clear they will remain in power for the next 60 years," he noted⁸. "Secondly⁹, they have now got all the institutions of the state behind them to remain as a one-party dictatorship."

The ruling People's Democratic Party and the main opposition Action Congress party have been trading accusations¹⁰ over alleged¹¹ plots to destabilize the government and assassinate¹² a key opposition leader.

The ruling party has rejected opposition claims that it plans to rig the 2011 elections. It also dismissed the planned opposition coalition as weak and ineffective.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 wrest   

n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲

参考例句：

• The officer managed to wrest the gun from his grasp.警官最终把枪从他手中夺走了。
• You wrest my words out of their real meaning.你曲解了我话里的真正含义。

3 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

6 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

7 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

10 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。