LOCAL PRESS REPORTS BUSH-OBASANJO LETTER RE THIRD

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002242

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM NI THIRDTERM
SUBJECT: LOCAL PRESS REPORTS BUSH-OBASANJO LETTER RE THIRD
TERM


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Thomas Furey for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
.


1. (U) SUMMARY: A local newspaper reported 17 Novemeber
that a letter from President Bush to President Obasanjo had
been delivered advising Obasanjo to not seek a third term.
While not new, this is the most prominent reporting of the
issue. The question came up in a press briefing held during
A/S Frazer's recent visit, but did not gain much traction
given the proximity to the death of President Obasanjo's wife
Stella and the crash of the Bellview flight. Since then, the
issue of a third term has returned to the press, possibly
generating the new interest in the letter and the Frazer
press briefing. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Punch, a popular local newspaper, reported 17
Novemeber that a letter from President Bush to President
Obasanjo had been delivered advising Obasanjo to not seek a
third term. It cited a "diplomatic source" claiming that the
letter had been delivered by the Embassy after the visit to
Nigeria by A/S Jendayi Frazer on 23-25 October. The article
did say that as of 16 November "it was not clear . . .
whether the letter had been delivered to President Obasanjo."


3. (U) The report said that the letter advised Obasanjo to
"put in place a credible electoral commission" and to "accept
the time limit" imposed by Nigeria's constitution.


4. (U) A reporter for Nigeria's "Business Day" asked A/S
Frazer on 24 October about the existence and delivery of a
message from President Bush to President Obasanjo on the 2007
elections. Frazer responded to the question by stating that
she had messages for President Obasanjo from President Bush
and said "the hope of everyone is that it would be a free,
fair and peaceful election." The A/S continued, "it is
important to have a transition from one civilian government
to another civilian government."


5. (U) The article contained little that could not be
inferred from previous public comments on the issue. The
only new comment came from Special Assistant to the President
Femi Fani-Kayode, who said the existence of such a letter was
"purely a case of someone's wildest imagination going out of
control. . . .the Americans would never attempt to insult or
undermine the Nigerian people in such a way."


6. (C) COMMENT: It is unclear where the impetus for the
renewed interest in this letter originated. However, it
would make sense for several opposition groups, including
supporters of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to publicize
such a document in an effort the forestall the apparent
desire by the President to remain in power beyond 2007.
FUREY