Elections in Nigeria: what do they tell us about democracy in West Africa?

Despite outbreaks of violence, British Secretary William Hague on Monday hailed Goodluck Jonathan’s victory in Nigeria’s presidential elections as a "significant step forward" "not just for Nigeria but also for democracy throughout Africa.

Violence broke out in areas in the mainly Muslim north-eastern states as results of what has been hailed as a fair election came in on Sunday, moving to Kano and Kaduna in the north.

Is the violence a result of tensions between the Muslim north and Christian south? What part has the end of a deal within the dominant People’s Democratic Party  whereby the office of president was rotated between the two regions played in this recent violence?

Left Foot Forward rounds up much of today’s media analysis, including The Guardian and New York Times.

Our event tomorrow night is a great opportunity to discuss events Nigeria and the implications for democracy in West Africa with an expert panel. We will discussing the lessons that can be learned from Nigeria and from Ivory Coast and the implications for the region’s Strongmen. You can book here.