
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 12, 1993                   TAG: 9307120088
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LAGOS, NIGERIA                                LENGTH: Short

WOULD-BE PRESIDENT PLANS COURT FIGHT

The man believed to have won Nigeria's annulled presidential election said Sunday he is going to court to try to force the military dictatorship to recognize his victory.

But even if the court accepts the arguments of Moshood K.O. Abiola, it is unclear what effect that would have. Dictator Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has banned all court actions related to the June 12 election.

Abiola was significantly ahead in the two-candidate race, according to partial results, when Babangida declared the election invalid four days after it was held.

Babangida later said that the military would turn over power to an interim civilian government on Aug. 27 - the day he previously had promised he would step down for an elected president. Babangida has reneged on other such promises in recent years.

Abiola told reporters Sunday that he would have nothing to do with the military's plans for an interim government.

-Associated Press

by CNB