Vol 52 No 3 | CÔTE D'IVOIRE Cocoa ban may hit Gbagbo's war chest 4th February 2011 Around 40% of the world's cocoa is grown in Côte d'Ivoire and the market is in confusion as a result of the reigning political paralysis. The harvests, though, are large...
Vol 52 No 3 | NIGERIA Bayelsa's fighting chance 4th February 2011 Rivalry between two former loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan and his People's Democratic Party in his home state of Bayelsa presages fierce confrontations before April's elections. The split in the Bayelsa...
Vol 52 No 2 | NIGERIA Jonathan’s primary colours 21st January 2011 Winning the PDP’s presidential nomination looks easier for Goodluck Jonathan than establishing himself as a truly national politician President Goodluck Jonathan clinched the presidential nomination of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on 14 January with an unexpected 77% of the votes. Jonathan, the insiders quickly learned,...
Vol 52 No 2 | BENIN Battle of the bankers 21st January 2011 Two financial experts are duelling for the presidential election in April in a campaign that will focus on development issues The two main contenders in April’s presidential election – both regional bankers – are evenly matched but for now the balance of support favours the incumbent, President Thomas...
Vol 52 No 2 | CÔTE D'IVOIRE Propaganda war 21st January 2011 Many in the Francophone African exile community have been unusually supportive of Laurent Gbagbo, in spite of his sanguinary reputation and with few doubts about the fairness of...
Vol 52 No 1 | NIGERIA Electric elections 7th January 2011 The accidental President Goodluck Jonathan takes on the northern establishment, with unpredictable results All the ingredients in the presidential and parliamentary elections due in April make for a fierce political battle. The dominant national party for over a decade is losing...
Vol 52 No 1 | LIBERIA Johnson Sirleaf stands on her record 7th January 2011 Voters are likely to favour the President but ex-football star George Weah could push the election to a second round Strategy for the presidential and parliamentary elections on 11 October will dominate political life, with incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf tipped to win. Yet a strong push by...
Vol 52 No 1 | BENIN Banker for Benin 7th January 2011 Abdoulaye Bio Tchané, the Governor of the regional Banque ouest-africaine de développement, this week officially launched his bid for April’s presidential election in Benin. This had been long...
Vol 51 No 25 | NIGERIA The war against the amnesty 17th December 2010 The presidential election, the oil trade and community peace deals are at risk in the latest Niger Delta conflicts Leaders of the Ayakoroma community in Delta State saw the violence coming. They warned the military Joint Task Force in mid-November that their town was in the crossfire between...
Vol 51 No 25 | NIGERIA General John Togo and all his enemies 17th December 2010 The self-styled General of the Niger Delta struggle, warlord John Togo, emerged from the Itsekiri/Ijaw ethnic war of 2003, when rival tribal groups from Delta State spawned death,...