PDP POLICY RALLY FOR THE NEWLY ELECTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001065

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2017
TAGS: KDEM NI PGOV ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: PDP POLICY RALLY FOR THE NEWLY ELECTED

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


1. (C) On May 19, Poloff attended the PDP Policy Retreat for
the newly elected members of the PDP held in Abuja at the
International Conference Center. The Keynote speaker was
former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and current
lobbyist/chairman of Goodworks International Andrew Young.
The two day event was replete with the party's main figures
including current President Obasanjo as well as President
elect Umar Musa Yar'adua and Vice President elect Goodluck
Jonathan. Touting party slogans and distributing party
propaganda to all participants, the discussions on policy
that were advertised were little more than venues for talking
points to be read and loyalty to the party stressed at all
costs. President Obasanjo even remarked "one cannot be loyal
to Nigeria if one is not loyal to the party", referring of
course to the PDP. The event began with the arrival of
President Obasanjo, Umar Musa Yar'adua and Goodluck Jonathan
to the delight of the partisan crowd. President Obasanjo
delivered his opening remarks in a prepared speech, which
mused about his accomplishments, derided the opposition and
called for complete and total loyalty to the party. Twice
during the speech, Obasanjo reiterated the need for all party
members to be current on their dues, no doubt of prime
importance to the outgoing president as he will now oversee
the party. The concept of 2020 20, whereby Nigeria will be
one of the top twenty countries economically by the year
2020, was prevalent throughout the speech. The two day
retreat focused on eleven distinct topics as dictated by
party leaders and served as a formal session in which the PDP
could lay out its policy objectives. End Summary.


2. (C) Development as a function of National Security: The
party resolved that development can only occur when a nation
such as Nigeria is secure. PDP officials cited examples of
physical, economic, cultural, psychological and political
security that needed to be improved upon in order for Nigeria
to move forward. While not limited to national security, the
party highlighted the Niger Delta crisis as a prime example
of where a lack of security was hindering progress. Party
members also cautioned against speaking out against the party
as that would threaten to destabilize not only the party, but
the country at large.


3. (C) Party-Government Leadership: PDP members spoke at
length about the need for the party to lead effectively in
the new government. At the forefront was the belief that
since the PDP brought civilian rule to Nigeria, that they
were in the best position to move the country forward.
During this segment and others party officials made
disparaging remarks towards the opposition parties closing
with the following assertion. "While the party assists the
government to be productive, the government assists the party
to institutionalize. This is synergy per excellence."


4. (C) Fiscal Prudence and Education: PDP leaders laid
forth general plans in which to restrain government spending,
ensure micro-ecnomic growth in an effort to manage inflation.
Party leaders highlighted the need to better regulate the
quality of government expenditures and seemed to believe that
the most effective way to do that was to not spend money. In
quick succession was the emphasis to revamp the education
system in Nigeria. Lecturers called on increased spending
for schools, so that Nigerians can participate more fully in
their economy. Predicting the need for a highly educated
work force PDP members stressed the need to modernize both
the curriculum as well as facilities.


5. (C) Comment: The following topics were lumped together
and elaborated in even less detail than the other topics.
Cooperative Federalism, Economic growth, health care,
creating a 100 percent rule of law state, talents of the
creative sector of the Nigeria economy, war against
corruption and the millennium development goals and debt
relief. Each presenter took the opportunity to congratulate
one another for the PDP victory and seemed uninterested in
having a serious policy dialogue even within the party
itself. The two day retreat was advertised as a way for new
party members to become familiar with the policies of the
party and derive new plans for its implementation. However,
it was little more than a rally focused on promoting the PDP

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and ensuring that all its members would adhere to the
policies laid forth by the outgoing president Obasanjo. In
the end, there was little in the way of substance and no new
initiatives were announced or even discussed. While too
early to discern at this point, it appears that any PDP
policy objectives will continue to come from the top and not
from a free exchange of ideas among its party members. End
Comment.
CAMPBELL