LAGOS : Political Crisis

Tension is rising in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous nation, where President Ibrahim Babangida triggered a political crisis by annulling the results of a June election to name his successor.

An alliance of civil libertarians, women’s and student groups called Campaign for Democracy has called for mass protests starting Thursday to force restoration of elected government. The call has spurred a government crackdown on the democracy activists.

Babangida has set an Aug. 27 deadline to end 10 years of military rule. But he has already ruled out succession by the winner of the June balloting, and some analysts believe he wants to merely trade in his uniform and put himself at the head of a nominally civilian government.