OBASANJO MOVES TO IMPEACH ATIKU

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002349

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCOR NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: OBASANJO MOVES TO IMPEACH ATIKU


Classified By: Political Counselor Russell J. Hanks for Reasons 1.4 (b
and d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Late on September 6, the results of an
investigation requested by President Olusegun Obasanjo into
alleged corrupt practices by Vice President Atiku Abubakar
were presented to Senate President Ken Nnamani with a request
to the Senate to take "appropriate action." The assumed
action would be impeachment proceedings against the Vice
President and could cripple his campaign to succeed Obasanjo.
The President's initiative is also viewed as another attempt
to extend his term and postpone or confuse elections as well
as an effort to ensure that Atiku is unable to mount a
credible campaign for the Presidency. This report comes as
an initiative is already underway to impeach the President
for over 100 impeachable offenses. It is too early to
predict how the competing impeachment moves will play out,
but an unintended consequence of Obasanjo's effort could
unite and revive the anti-third term coalition and encourage
action against the President. For the moment, though,
neither of the impeachment moves appear to have enough
support in the National Assembly to succeed. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Late on September 6, the results of an investigation
requested by President Olusegun Obasanjo into corrupt
practices by Vice President Atiku Abubakar were presented to
Senate President Ken Nnamani with a request to the Senate to
take "appropriate action." The report, presented to the
Council of State on the same day, was submitted to the
President on August 24 by Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) chairman Nuhu Ribadu. The investigation is
related to accusations against the Vice President circulating
for several months that he diverted $110 million from the
Petroleum Technology Development Fund to personal use. On
his behalf, the Vice President has consistently maintained
that "the President authorized the transfers" and that the
funds were used to support Obasanjo and Atiku in the 2003
elections. The Vice President was asked to leave the Council
of State meeting shortly after it began over two hours late
on September 6 so as not to serve "as a judge in his own
case." The President, in his letter to the Senate, said the
investigation was initiated "at the request of the (U.S.)
Federal Bureau of Investigation.


3. (C) Contacts at the National Assembly have confirmed
that the press reports were "substantially accurate," but
caution that the report does not necessarily signify
impeachment proceedings. "The press is jumping the gun," one
contact said. Contacts also cautioned that the Senate could
not deal with the matter until the end of the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Conference (currently underway in Abuja).
Other names linked to the accusations include Mohammed
Babangida, son of former head of state and current
presidential candidate Ibrahim Babangida, and a businessman
linked to both Obasanjo and Atiku, Chief Mike Adenuga.
Virtually all of Embassy's contacts among Senators and staff
at the National Assembly view the investigation as part of
the President's plan to extend his term past May 29, 2007,
and to postpone or confuse the electoral process. It also
could cripple Atiku's campaign for the Presidency, apparently
a priority for Obasanjo.


4. (C) This report comes as an initiative is already
underway to impeach the President for over 100 impeachable
offenses. Discussed since the collapse of the efforts to
amend the Constitution earlier this year, this impeachment
move is being organized by the Vice President along with a
coalition of other Senators against the third term and tenure
elongation. This group has not submitted documents to
initiate the process yet, but organizers say that they had
planned to launch the effort this month.


5. (C) COMMENT: This move can be seen as another step by
Obasanjo to make sure his Vice President is unable to succeed
him. It could also serve to hinder the presidential
ambitions of Babangida. Observers, however, are discussing
it as an attack on the electoral process in general rather
than on the two potential successors. It is too early to
predict how the competing impeachment moves will play out and
lobbying efforts and "inducements" will probably gear up in
earnest within two weeks if the move is serious, In any
event, one unintended consequence of Obasanjo's effort could
be a re-united and revitalized anti-third term coalition that
is encouraged to act against the President. Embassy's
immediate assessment, though, is that the National Assembly
would prefer not to create more acrimony and confusion in the
polity and it appears that neither of the impeachment moves
have enough support to succeed at this time.

CAMPBELL