Conduct of post-transition elections 120. The conduct of both the first post-transition elections of 2003 and the 2007 elections during the first civilian-to-civilian regime transfer of power without a major national crisis constitutes a success story for the post1999 Nigerian return to civilian rule. These are definitely milestones in Nigeria’s struggle for the development of democracy and good political governance. Expansion of democratic space for civil society and nonstate actors 121. Similarly, there has been an expansion of the political space. Moreover, the growing voice of civil society over a long period has now reached a crescendo in the new civilian dispensation. Ironically, the rise of civil society over the last 20 years began during the period of military regimes, as many of the civil society organisations (CSOs) were conceived in opposition to oppressive and arbitrary rule. Today, there is a plethora of human rights and women’s nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) that are capable champions of reform and are developing new strategies and tactics under civilian rule, such as enhancing access to the legislature, serving in watchdog roles, and seeking to engage more effective citizen participation in local affairs. Nigeria also has diverse, dynamic and vibrant media that have tackled the socioeconomic and political issues of the day, even under the most repressive of administrations. Independence of the judiciary 122. Nigeria’s judiciary currently enjoys unprecedented respect from the population as a result of the decisions that have been taken in dealing with electoral challenges in the recent past. The judiciary has played a leading role in rectifying fraud in electoral management, and has been indispensable in the resolution of intractable conflicts surrounding elections, especially the 2007 polls. Following massive electoral fraud, especially at the state levels, several electoral tribunals were set up to investigate the many petitions regarding irregularities and malpractices in the 2007 elections. Significantly, the courts reversed many of the state electoral victories, or ordered that such elections be rerun. Some of the losers in the electoral court decisions have vowed to appeal their cases to the Appeal Court. In the context of increased political competition among the political elites, the judiciary in Nigeria is asserting its independence and gaining the confidence and respect of both the citizenry and the other branches of government. Improvements in the human rights situation, and affirmation of the freedom of the press and other civil liberties 123. The political culture has moved away from the period when citizens were arbitrarily subjected to government intimidation and arrest without legal recourse. Political prisoners are rare, although the use of torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment by the security forces is 53