Widespread allegations of vote rigging, intimidation, and outright violence dashed hopes of a clean election in Nigeria on Sunday and led to calls for a clean slate.

Nigeria has made progress since its return to democracy in 1999. But a political system crippled by corruption and dogged by ethnic tensions threatens to derail the country from its path toward good governance.

Nigerians have begun voting in two sets of elections closely watched for signs of the fitness of their democracy. Early indications are discouraging.

“For policymakers everywhere, Nigeria should be the central African question. No country’s fate is so decisive for the continent. No other country across a range of issues has the power so thoroughly to shape outcomes elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. If Nigeria works well, so might Africa. If the democratic experiment in Nigeria stalls, and development and governance stagnate, the rest of Africa suffers and loses hope,” concludes a new Council Special Report.

This report describes what steps might be taken by Nigerians and the international community to avoid a breakdown of democracy, and possibly stability, in the wake of Nigeria’s April 2007 electoral contest and to tackle Nigeria’s fundamental challenges of governance, security, and development in the longer term.

Oil piped through the swamps and creeks of the Niger Delta powers Nigeria’s economy, but ecological devastation and pervasive poverty are stirring political unrest.

Backgrounder: MEND has gained global notoriety by disrupting oil supplies in the Niger Delta.

Nigeria has the potential to make great strides in its own development, but it must first overcome some difficult obstacles, including rampant violence in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

In a continent where despotism often wins the day, the Nigerian Senate's vote to reject a constitutional amendment that would have allowed President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for a third term of office is notable - even more so since Obasanjo has decided to abide by it.

Nigeria’s political temperature continues to rise as moves to alter the constitution to extend presidential term limits stir protests across the country. The country is already beset by sectarian violence and ongoing clashes with militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

Backgrounder: Ongoing sectarian troubles and corruption threaten Nigeria's future security.

Hauwa Ibrahim, a human rights lawyer, discussed the constitutionality of Shariah in Nigeria and her experiences defending Nigerian women in Shariah courts in the country.