IBB'S DAUGHTER WEDS; THE NATION TURNS OUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001636

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2013
TAGS: PGOV NI
SUBJECT: IBB'S DAUGHTER WEDS; THE NATION TURNS OUT


CLASSIFIED BY COUNSELOR JAMES MAXSTADT FOR REASON 1.5 (D)



1. (U) The thirty-three year old daughter of former Nigerian
head of state Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) tied the knot on
September 6 with Bashir Lado Garba, a nephew of the deceased
former head of state Gen. Sani Abacha who had driven IBB from
office. Abacha's eldest surviving son, Mohammed, was best
man at the event which attracted virtually everyone currently
or previously involved with Nigerian politics. An Embassy
poloff attended too.



2. (U) Wedding-related events took place in Abuja and Kano
as well as IBB's home in Minna, Niger State. In Minna, over
20,000 guests made the trip for the wedding itself. With two
exceptions, all former heads of state or their families were
represented. Shehu Shagari, the elected president who was
removed from office in 1983, and Muhammadu Buhari, the
general who deposed Shagari and who is still fighting the
widely disputed 2003 election, did not attend. Other guests
included virtually all former flag officers of the Nigerian
armed forces, 31 sitting governors, 64 senators, 70
representatives, current and past ministers and permanent
secretaries, the President's wife, the Vice President and

SIPDIS
numerous former politicians. The inclusion of two of MKO
Abiola's wives at the head table along with IBB, who annulled
Abiola's election in 1993, and Mohammed Abacha, whose father
then forced IBB out of power, highlighted the attempt of
presenting an image of reconciliation. Complicated stuff,
and the machinations for the 2007 race for president were
unmistakable.



3. (C) During the wedding reception, Mohammed Abacha tried to
address the crowd. Claiming his right as the best man, he
approached the microphone. Former head of state General
Abdulsalami Abubakar, along with several other elders at the
head table, advised him that this occasion was not for "small
boys."



4. (U) Amid the speculation about IBB's planned 2007 run for
the Presidency, posters appeared throughout Minna touting
Abia Governor Orji Kalu. While the press reported "Kalu for
President 2007" posters, they were actually leftovers from
his aborted 2003 run for the top spot in Nigeria.



5. (C) COMMENT: The crowd was overwhelming and the arduous
task of hiking up to two kilometers up the hill to IBB's
residence was too much for some retired generals and civil
servants. The Vice President, one of IBB's expected 2007
challengers, made the hike -- unusual exertion in a country
which values the perquisites of office highly. The aura
surrounding IBB continues among Nigeria's elite, fueled in no
small part by the wealth he carted away on leaving the helm
of the nation. But while the elite were enjoying his
hospitality, the rest of the town remained nonplussed by the
commotion, continuing the daily task of eking out a living
undistracted by the pomp.
MEECE