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October 08, 2005
Obasanjo in Liberian poll talks
Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo has arrived in Liberia to meet the 22 presidential candidates taking part in next week's first post-war election.
He played a key role in brokering a 2003 peace deal and granted asylum to Liberia's ex-President Charles Taylor.
He also ensured the polls take place on time when he persuaded two politicians' who had belatedly been allowed to join the presidential race, to withdraw.
Some 15,000 UN soldiers are in Liberia to ensure peace after 14 years of war.
Ex-footballer George Weah and economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf are among the favourites to be the next president.
Mr Taylor's National Patriotic Party is also fielding a candidate, Roland Massaquoi.
A vice-president and members of parliament will also be selected at the polls next Tuesday.
Chaos threat
The BBC's Mark Doyle in the capital, Monrovia, says Nigeria is regarded as Liberia's big brother.
Nigeria sent troops to Liberia as part of a peacekeeping force, both in the early 1990s and again in 2003.
Interim leader Gyude Bryant thanked Nigeria for its role in Liberia's peace process.
"In our recent history, Nigeria has done more for Liberia than any single member state of this global world," Mr Bryant said.
Recently Mr Obasanjo stepped in when a legal hitch threatened the postponement of the elections, our correspondent says.
A Liberian court ruled at the last minute that two presidential candidates who had been barred from standing could in fact stand.
But ballot papers without the two names had already been printed and the court ruling risked throwing the whole election process into chaos.
President Obasanjo summoned the two politicians to Nigeria and somehow persuaded them to withdraw their candidacies.
Since granting Mr Taylor asylum two years ago, Nigeria has come under pressure to hand him over to the UN Court in Sierra Leone where he is wanted on war crimes charges.
Mr Obasanjo has said he will consider an extradition request if asked by Liberia's incoming president.
Posted by Publisher at October 8, 2005 10:48 AM
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