VOA慢速英語(yǔ): 尼日利亞人想了解他們的下一任總統(tǒng)

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Nigerians have voted a former dictator as their next president.

Muhammadu Buhari, age 72, is a retired general and former military leader.Today, he says he is a born-again democrat. But those who remember hisstrict military regime wonder if he is really a changed man.

In 1983, Mr. Buhari took power in a military coup and ruled Nigeria for 20months. He ran unsuccessfully for president three times before beatingGoodluck Jonathan in the country’s March elections. His victory was the firsttime in Nigeria that a candidate has defeated a sitting president in an election.

Many questions

Many people are calling Mr. Buhari’s victory a political turning point and amajor step forward for democracy in Nigeria. But some people, such as artistFemi Kuti, are asking why the world is celebrating a former military dictator.

“Do I believe he is a changed man? I don’t think so. And if he’s a changedman, is his surroundings, the people in his political party, are they changed?Can he convince them to change? Can he convince them not to be corrupt? I don’t believe so, but then I don’t want to be pessimistic.”

Femi Kuti is the son of singer and Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. Thirty years ago, a military court under then-dictator Muhammadu Buhari sentenced Fela Kuti tofive years in prison. Human rights group Amnesty International declared thesinger a political detainee and campaigned for his release.

His son remembers the event well. He says his father was falsely charged.

“It was horrific. It was terroristic. It was depressing. Let’s take for instance thestory of my father, who was arrested for taking £1,600 ($2,200). And hedeclared it, and he was charged and jailed. I witnessed the beatings, and thetrauma and all what my father went through.”

Mr. Buhari has taken full responsibility for his actions during his time in power. He has apologized to political opponents. In a speech, he called himself areformed, or changed, democrat.

Political analyst Cheta Nwanze says he does see a difference between Mr.Buhari now and then.

“Some of the language that has been coming from him this time around is not as firm as it used to be back in the day. In the previous three elections, therewas this sort of air of 'it’s my way or the highway.' It’s kind of like the last fouryears have actually taught him that (in a) democracy you don’t achieveresults by giving orders, but by compromise.”

War on indiscipline

During his time in power in the 1980s, Mr. Buhari declared what he called a “war on indiscipline.”

Political opponents and critics of his regime were jailed. He introduced plansto end corruption, fought against drug trafficking and forced citizens to formneat lines at bus stops. His laws restricting press freedom were the worst in the country’s history.

Today, journalist Alkasim Abdulkadir says Mr. Buhari is a reformed leaderwho is ready to work with other countries, political parties and ethnic groups.

“Only a democrat will talk about international cooperation within African states,with Western powers, will talk about how to collectively tackle the insurgency,how to collectively tackle corruption because these are yields that can only betackled in a very cooperative manner.”

Held accountable

Mr. Buhari has promised to improve the situation Nigeria. He says he will dealwith corruption and inequality between rich and poor. And, he says, he willimprove security in the country’s northeast. There, the Islamist militant groupBoko Haram leads an increasingly violent rebellion.

Umar Dala is a retired police officer from the country’s northeast. He says therise of the Boko Haram militant group is a symbol of the former government’sfailure. Mr. Dala strongly believes Mr. Buhari is the best leader for Nigeria.

"He has the experience. He knows the problem(s) of the country more thanany other person.’”

The recent election sends a strong message to Mr. Buhari, too. If he fails, thevoters will remove him from office.

I’m Jim Tedder.

Reporter Katarina Hoije in Nigeria prepared this story for VOA. Kelly JeanKelly wrote it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

pessimistic – adj. having a lack of hope for the future; expecting bad things tohappen

compromise – v. to give up something you want in order to reach anagreement

tackle – v. to deal with something difficult