I am SHOCKED! SHOCKED! that Olusegun Obasanjo has won reelection in Nigeria amidst charges of–get this–corruption.

Those who had high hopes for Jeffersonian democracy in that citadel of freedom can take comfort in this:

The United States ambassador, Howard F. Jeter, said on Monday that it was too early to deliver a verdict on the conduct of the elections, even with the reports of irregularities.

“This is not an excuse for some of the things that happened,” he said. “There is a recognition of Nigeria’s past. That past is not a good one in terms of democratic practice. This is a huge country. We have to exercise some patience.”

No mention of whether he’s any relation to Hans Blix.