Original sentence: A constitutional referendum is planned to be held in Niger on 4 August 2009.Nigerien Minister of the Interior Albade Abouba announced on June 28th, following President Tandja's taking emergency powers, that both the 4 August Referendum and the 20 August elections would go ahead.Upon the final ruling by the Constitutional Court, the president declared he had assumed "special powers" as the "independence of the nation was threatened"
Edited sentence: A constitutional referendum was held in Niger on 4 August 2009.As the boycott made the outcome of the referendum effectively a foregone conclusion, voter turnout assumed a greater significance, as a higher turnout would enhance the referendum's appearance of legitimacy.As vote counting took place on 5 August, CENI President Moumouni Hamidou said that voter turnout had varied "between 40 and 90 percent" across the country, with the higher figures found in rural areas.Interior Minister Albade Abouba announced on 28 June, following President Tandja's assumption of emergency powers, that both the 4 August referendum and the 20 August parliamentary election would go ahead.Marou Amadou of the FDD said that this was a "ridiculous" claim and that actual turnout was less than seven percent.The vote went ahead as planned on 4 August, although the opposition chose to boycott it.Upon the final ruling by the Constitutional Court, Tandja declared that he had assumed "special powers" as the "independence of the nation was threatened"