2007年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Opposition Seeks United Front

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
12 April 2007

Nigeria's main opposition¹ parties held a meeting Thursday to discuss the formation of a political coalition² to compete in general elections scheduled for later this month. From Abuja, Gilbert da Costa reports for VOA that opposition leaders believe that by running as a bloc³ they will have a better chance at the polls.

 

Osita Okechukwu, a spokesman for Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, organizers of Thursday's meeting in Abuja, says unifying⁴ Nigeria's fractious opposition parties is a challenge but it could serve the country well. He says even a loose coalition will help in boosting the opposition's chances at the polls.

 

"We looked at it that there is a lot of political violence. We said if that is the case, why don't we sit down and define a granite⁵ coalition and face the elections as a body, he said. "We know that in certain states, some parties might be stronger than the other. We want to know if we can harmonize our efforts."

 

Workers install election poster for Musiliu Obanikoro, the Lagos state governor candidate for ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, 10 Apr 2007

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party - the PDP - says efforts to cobble together a last-minute coalition show desperation on the part of the opposition.

 

The PDP controls several of Nigeria's 36 states, which gives it enormous clout⁶ and, some say, access to huge financial resources with which to compromise election officials and use security forces to its advantage.

 

The PDP has denied the opposition's claim of plans to rig the elections. President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is not running, has promised free, fair and credible⁷ elections. He has repeatedly condemned⁸ political violence and vote rigging, which, he says, threaten the credibility of the Nigerian vote.

 

But, opposition parties, emboldened⁹ by what they regard as the failings of the current government, remain very optimistic that they can defeat the ruling party, even without forming a coalition.

As Okechukwu explains, the government has been in power eight years and can point to few, if any, successes.

 

"As far as we are concerned, the election is a referendum of the past eight years and the PDP had not performed," he said. "Is it poverty alleviation¹⁰? Is it in supplying electricity? Is it employment? If the votes count, even without the opposition uniting, we will defeat the PDP hands down because they wasted the past eight years, in spite of the abundant resources."

 

Nigerians vote Saturday, April 14 for state legislators and governors. The presidential election is scheduled for April 21. The PDP candidate is Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, a former polytechnic¹¹ teacher. The main opposition candidate is Muhammadu Buhari, a former leader of the army.

The elections are being watched closely by foreign observers, as they could determine the fate of Nigeria's young democracy.

 

Nigeria, Africa's most populous¹² country and biggest oil exporter, returned to democracy in 1999 after nearly three decades of military rule.

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 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。

3 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

4 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

5 granite   

adj.花岗岩，花岗石

参考例句：

• They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。
• The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。

6 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

7 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？

8 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

9 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 alleviation   

n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物

参考例句：

• These were the circumstances and the hopes which gradually brought alleviation to Sir Thomas's pain. 这些情况及其希望逐渐缓解了托马斯爵士的痛苦。
• The cost reduction achieved in this way will benefit patients and the society in burden alleviation. 集中招标采购降低的采购成本要让利于患者，减轻社会负担。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

11 polytechnic   

adj.各种工艺的，综合技术的；n.工艺(专科)学校；理工(专科)学校

参考例句：

• She was trained as a teacher at Manchester Polytechnic.她在曼彻斯特工艺专科学校就读，准备毕业后做老师。
• When he was 17,Einstein entered the Polytechnic Zurich,Switzerland,where he studied mathematics and physics.17岁时，爱因斯坦进入了瑞士苏黎士的专科学院，学习数学和物理学。

12 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。