SOUTHERN NIGERIA POLITICAL TIDBITS THROUGH

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001285

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W
STATE FOR INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV NI
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN NIGERIA POLITICAL TIDBITS THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 2006

REF: LAGOS 913

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (U) Summary: These snippets of political information from
southern Nigeria are offered for their insights into the
politics of the region. End Summary.

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Another Voice Saying the EFCC Has Lost Its Way
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2. (C) In a late September conversation, Ambassador Vincent
Okobi, who is also an important traditional ruler in Delta
State, asserted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) was tendentious from its very inception. He recounted
being instrumental in pushing policies that led to the
commission's establishment. He was so active that, at one
point, he was the leading candidate to head the EFCC. His
appointment letter had even been drafted, he recalled. But
at the eleventh hour, he was summoned to an audience with
some of the President's advisors. They found him too
independent-minded, Okobi recalled. Then they tore his
letter and picked current EFCC Chairman Ribadu in his stead.
Ribadu was hired to do the President's bidding, Okobi
concluded. (Comment: Okobi's remarks were more personal than
those of most of our other interlocutors and thus tinged with
trace elements of bitterness. Nevertheless Okobi's judgment
about the EFCC is increasingly representative of the mood of
most Consulate political contacts. End comment.)

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Lawyer Sees No Responsible Presidential Candidate
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3. (SBU) Well-respected lawyer and human rights activist
Nurudeen Ogbara told Poloff that he and others in the
Nigerian Bar Association are watching and waiting for a
Presidential candidate to emerge. Ogbara pointed to Senate
Speaker Ken Nnamani as a candidate who might fit the bill.
Human rights in Nigeria are very weak, and the Federal
Government has done little to strengthen them, the lawyer
said. Ogbara believes that the removal by Obasanjo of
Bukhari Bello, Executive Secretary of the National Human
Rights Commission was politically motivated, and called
Folashade Ajoni, appointed to replace Bello, a mere
figurehead.

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Two Connected Businessmen See a Buhari Presidency
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4. (SBU) In two separate discussions with Econoff, IGNATIUS
Ukpaka, Managing Director of Bank PHB, and Jean-Pierre
Snijders, Chief Regulatory Officer at Celtel, foresaw a
scenario in which former President Muhammadu Buhari would
switch allegiance to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and
run for President with Obasanjo's blessing. Both seasoned
observers of the political scene predicted that Obasanjo
would favor Buhari as a former military man most able to
control the country and continue the reforms he had
initiated. (Comment: Rumors of a Buhari switch to the PDP
are now common fare in the Lagos political circles. However,
most observers think this as highly unlikely. End comment.)

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South-South: Bayelsa to Resettle Bakassi
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5. (C) 5,000 Nigerians who decided to leave the Bakassi
Peninsula when it was ceded to Cameroon may be resettled in
Bayelsa, according to Foster Ogola, the Governor's Special
Advisor on Investment and Economic Issues. Governor Goodluck
Jonathan has agreed to provide 15 hectares on which the
refugees will be resettled. Currently, the refugees are
housed in secondary schools and makeshift tents. Ogola told
PolOff that the Governor is seeking international assistance,
thus far without success. The U.N. Human Rights Commission
(UNHRC) considers the Bakassi pilgrims internally displaced
persons, not refugees. UNHCR will accept a request for aid
only from one of the Federal Government's refugee-related
ministries. According to Ogola the GON is working to help,
but has moved slowly.

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South-South: No Community Input to Rivers Projects
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6. (U) Pol/Econoff attended the weekly meeting of the Rivers
State Sustainable Development Project (RSSDP),an ambitious
economic development initiative launched by Governor Peter
Odili many months ago. The working group, which included the
Rivers State Attorney General, the Advisor to the Governor on
Special Issues, the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC),the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),
and USAID officer, discussed next steps for implementation of
short-term Quick Results Projects (QRPs). The projects,
which include micro-financing for aquaculture and a rural
telephone project, are not slated to begin until
January/February 2007. It was clear from the discussion that
no attempts had been made to include local communities in the
decision-making process for identifying projects. This could
become a problem when community support will be called for
during the implementation of these projects.


7. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja.
BROWNE