NIGERIA: UWECHUE SEES SMOOTH SAILING AHEAD FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000256

SIPDIS


CAIRO POL FOR MAXSTADT
LONDON FOR GURNEY


E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: UWECHUE SEES SMOOTH SAILING AHEAD FOR
OBASANJO CAMPAIGN


CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER; REASONS 1.5 (B)
AND (D).


(C) During a January 9 meeting with Ambassador Jeter,
Nigerian Special Presidential Envoy on Conflict Resolution
Ambassador Raph Uwechue shared his thoughts on President
Obasanjo's prospects for reelection. Uwechue said that All
Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) nominee Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
Mohammedu Buhari is well liked and respected among Northern
Muslims. However, Buhari is singularly unpopular with
Christians and Southerners, making it unlikely that he
could win the election. Uwechue did not believe Buhari's
partner on the ticket, former Senate President Chuba
Okadigbo, and Igbo, would rally many Southerners to the
ANPP flag. In the absence of other credible opposition,
Uwechue thought President Obasanjo would easily win a
second term.
JETER
JETER