2007年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Opposition Candidates Call for Postpon

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
18 April 2007

Saturday's presidential ballot¹ in Nigeria appears headed for a crisis, as a coalition² of opposition³ candidates calls for its postponement⁴. Gilbert da Costa reports for the VOA from Abuja that the opposition's call is generating debate in Nigeria.

 

A Nigerian man look at election posters in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, 15 Apr 2007

Nigerians are clearly agitated⁵ by the current political climate and the threat of more violence linked to the country's elections. Threats by opposition candidates to withdraw from this weekend's presidential vote have made the climate even more tense.

 

A coalition of 18 opposition candidates is also demanding the cancellation⁶ of last Saturday's flawed state polls and the firing of the national electoral commission.

 

The government has rejected opposition accusations⁷ that it rigged the ballot and insists the presidential election will go ahead, with or without the opposition.

 

On the streets of Abuja, Nigerians are quick to comment on the political situation.

 

"At this stage, to have a postponement or a total suspension of the elections could lead to other vices⁸ that could bring about a crisis in the country," said one respondent.

 

"We want a change of government. Let this government go, hand over to another government," said another one.

People stand and look at a police vehicle, torched by gunmen in Kano, Nigeria, 17 Apr 2007

The authorities have strengthened security across the country, and troops battled gunmen in the northern city of Kano for the second day.

 

Nigeria's largest trade union, the Nigeria Labor⁹ Congress, is scheduled to meet Thursday on how to deal with the troubled elections.

 

Some union leaders are threatening to lead mass protests unless the results of some state polls are canceled.

 

The upcoming presidential election is expected to lead to the first handover of power from one civilian¹⁰ president to another since independence from Britain in 1960.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

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 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。

4 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

5 agitated   

adj.被鼓动的，不安的

参考例句：

• His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
• She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

6 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

7 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。

8 vices   

缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳

参考例句：

• In spite of his vices, he was loved by all. 尽管他有缺点，还是受到大家的爱戴。
• He vituperated from the pulpit the vices of the court. 他在教堂的讲坛上责骂宫廷的罪恶。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。