NORTHERN VIEWS ON YAR'ADUA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ABUJA 001671 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM SOCI NI SUBJECT: NORTHERN VIEWS ON YAR'ADUA REF: A. ABUJA 1658 ¶B. ABUJA 1350 ¶C. ABUJA 1327 ¶D. ABUJA 820 ¶E. 95 LAGOS 156 ABUJA 00001671 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Cheryl Fernandes for reasons 1.4 (b & d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Influential northern Nigerians remain split over whether the May 29 inauguration of President Umaru Yar'Adua, a northern Hausa-Fulani Muslim from Katsina state, may portend a change of fortune for the North. His northern extraction is overshadowed for many by the manner in which he ascended to the presidency, his perceived closeness to former president Obasanjo, and his lack of political savor-faire, according to some northern contacts. Others speak of the fraudulent electoral process through which Yar'Adua came to power and his refusal to concede to this point (instead seeking, as some see it, to coopt the opposition and traditional northern Islamic leadership into a "government of national unity") as eroding his credibility and potential to benefit the North. Still others view Yar'Adua as uniquely positioned to revamp Nigerian democracy and introduce good governance and to generate a semblance of cohesion through his calls for a national unity government. In June and July conversations with PolOff, northern Nigerian academics and technocrats as well as northern interest groups provided a broad spectrum of views on President Yar'Adua. What is clear from these discussions is that much remains to be seen in this presidency -- including how the northern elite view Yar'Adua's ability to effectuate favorable change for the region. What follows are specific opinions as expressed by northern Nigerian academics, technocrats, traditional leaders, and interest groups. END SUMMARY. -------------- YAR'ADUA - HONEST, REFORM-MINDED, CONCILIATORY -------------- ¶2. (C) Bashir Borodo, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, imparted his views of President Yar'Adua, noting that the North would not automatically benefit from a northern head of state since a president's heritage bore insignificantly on his ability to govern. Whether Buhari, Atiku, or Yar'Adua ascended to the presidency, Borodo contended, the problems of unemployment, poor infrastructure, healthcare, and education would continue to debilitate the North since proper resource allocation and political interests have yet to be balanced successfully. He feared that internal squabbles in the North would hamper the region's ability to exploit a northern president, even if possible. Borodo advocated for the proposed "national unity government" as the region's best chance for building a consensus government that would "listen to its interests." At the same time, Borodo bemoaned that progress could not be attained in a national political climate that rewarded "complacency." While optimistic that the Nigerian judiciary would fairly dispense justice at the presidential electoral tribunals, Borodo confided that he hoped the cases would not be "too successful." In such an instance, Borodo worried, "we may have cases we may not be able to handle." Moreover, Borodo countered claims that Buhari enjoyed popular support throughout the country, emphasizing that Yar'Adua "definitely" did not win substantially in the North but did achieve the minimum requisite votes to win swathes of the North. With respect to Action Congress (AC) presidential hopeful Atiku Abubakar's aspirations for the presidency, Borodo opined, Atiku did not possess the machinery of the state to ride to victory, and thus, was only capable of "splitting the PDP vote," not supplanting it altogether. In the end, Borodo intimated, the most sanguine of positions as a Nigerian is to trust that "everything will work itself out, regardless of who's in office." ¶3. (C) Dr. Kabir Chafe, former Minister of Petroleum Resources (1995-1997),Ahmadu Bello University Chair of Information Technology Consulting Services, and National Chair of the Democratic People's Party (DPP),appeared idealistic and hopeful that a Yar'Adua presidency would constructively advance northern interests. He contended that ABUJA 00001671 002.2 OF 004 Yar'Adua was an honest, sincere, and hard-working individual, whose lack of political savor-faire worked in his favor as his "hands were not sullied by the stain of corruption." Though Chafe concurred with criticism of the elections as flawed, he also believed that a fraudulent electoral process need not translate into an ineffective presidency. To the contrary, Chafe appraised, Yar'Adua would maximize his position to promote electoral reforms, ensuring that future elections would not suffer the same criticisms. He offered support for Yar'Adua's calls for a "government of national unity," remarking that such a move amounted to an olive branch. When asked whether Yar'Adua would likely distance himself from former president Obasanjo, Dr. Chafe intimated that "such a dream is illusory." In order to navigate the ropes of the presidency, Chafe added, an experienced "mentor" would not hurt. ¶4. (C) Bala Mohammed, Director General of the Kano state government Sharia reform program "A Daidaita Sahu" Initiative and ad-hoc Political Science Professor at Ahmadu Bello University, appeared confident that Yar'Adua would "return decency and good governance" to Nigeria. Though a member of the opposition All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP),Mohammed lauded Yar'Adua's record as governor, claiming that he had successfully revamped the education and health sectors in Katsina state and used his wealth to develop its road infrastructure. Mohammed characterized himself as a Buhari supporter, confiding that he believed Buhari (and not Yar'Adua) had won in Kano state, yet maintained that Yar'Adua would "see to the interests of the North." While Obasanjo advanced the cause of Nigeria's Christians, particularly the burgeoning Pentecostal community in the South West, Mohammed envisaged a greater, more prominent role for Nigeria's Muslims under the Yar'Adua government. Although not a federal issue, the 2000 expansion of the Sharia to cover criminal and civil jurisdiction throughout eleven northern states, Mohammed envisions, will continue unabated under Yar'Adua. He believes that Yar'Adua, as a Muslim, will not be "as meddlesome as Obasanjo" in the internal affairs (i.e., Sharia enforcement) of the North. Quite the contrary, in fact, Mohammed sees the election of a northerner and a civilian as seminal and necessary to enhancing the political and economic role of the North in the rest of the country. ¶5. (SBU) Northern special interest group the Northern Union (Ref. B) believes that a rotation in presidency from the South portends positive, salutary developments for the North. The Northern Union, an unabashedly pro-Yar'Adua interest group, views itself as instrumental in bringing prestige and power back to the North, according to Secretary General Dr. Ibrahim Lame, who also noted that it serves the tactical advantage of the North to work with Yar'Adua in any unity government. By joining forces with Yar'Adua, therefore, the North may be in a better position to advocate its interests and capitalize upon the fact that Yar'Adua hails from the North. ¶6. (SBU) The June 18 visit of the Sultan and members of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs to President Yar'Adua signaled an attempt by the preeminent northern traditional ruler to demonstrate credibility and support for Yar'Adua's new administration (Ref. C). On July 2, the Sultan convened a gathering of prominent northern emirs (traditional rulers) to discuss strategies for brokering a rapprochement between President Yar'Adua and All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari. The Sultan contended that Buhari must withdraw his electoral tribunal petition challenging Yar'Adua's victory at the April polls and urged him to consider joining Yar'Adua's "government of national unity" in order to protect the interests of the North. In statements to the media, the Sultan reportedly said "we cannot achieve significant progress until we work together" with the President. Also, on August 1, President Yar'Adua called a meeting of northern traditional leaders to discuss constitutional amendments and likely, to seek counsel (Ref. A). ¶7. (C) COMMENT: Traditional rulers in the North, presided over by the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, retain waning prestige and influence in northern Nigeria (Ref. E). ABUJA 00001671 003.2 OF 004 Since they are considered close to the grassroots, governments have historically sought traditional ruler support as an important source of legitimacy. The Sultan has made several overtures since assuming office in November 2006 concerning his desire to instantiate within the Nigerian Constitution an unambiguous role for traditional northern rulers. At present, northern rulers serve advisory roles, having been completely co-opted by state governments. With a northern president, who also boasts substantial ties to the Katsina Emirate, the Sultan and other northern emirs hope to capitalize upon Yar'Adua's heritage and exploit their proximity to him. END COMMENT. -------------- -------------- YAR'ADUA - INEXPERIENCED, ILLEGITIMATE, TIED TO OBASANJO -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Mariya Baba Ahmed, a Fulani from Kano state and the April 2007 vice presidential candidate of Orji Kalu's People's Progressive Alliance (PPA),questioned Yar'Adua's ability to govern as president given his "lackluster" performance as former governor of Katsina state. She noted that Yar'Adua hails from a relatively obscure part of the country and has not traveled abroad extensively. Such paucity of exposure to the outside world, particularly to the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and Abuja, for example, categorically inhibit Yar'Adua from adequately understanding the country and addressing its problems, Ahmed emphasized. Ahmed assessed that Yar'Adua's perceived failing health would preclude his active participation in national politics, even "crippling his ability to govern." Furthermore, Ahmed contended that Yar'Adua's close relationship with Obasanjo would eventually prove deleterious to Yar'Adua's ability to run the country. She believed that Yar'Adua was "chosen by Obasanjo because he lacks ambition and is weak." This weakness, Ahmed averred, lent credence to prevailing northern elite views of Yar'Adua as "incompetent." While many northern elite have waited for the North's turn in the presidency, Ahmed contended, Yar'Adua's victory will "only lead to instability and more backlash" as the North will enjoy no "tangible difference" in quality of life or access to federal resources. ¶9. (C) The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) bemoaned the electoral process that brought Yar'Adua to power as deeply flawed and marred by malpractices. While the ACF criticized the April elections, its Chairman Chief Sunday Awoniyi appeared resigned to accept the polls' outcome. Awoniyi, though non-partisan, placed hope in All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari's ability to stridently protest the conduct of elections. While no mass popular uprising took place across Nigeria, as Awoniyi anticipated, he remains encouraged by Buhari's refusal to enter into unity government talks with Yar'Adua. In this respect, Awoniyi believes, Buhari has gained ever more credibility and support from the masses. Interestingly, while Awoniyi, one of the founding members of the People's Demcractic Party (PDP) announced his disdain for Obasanjo, he did not comment on Yar'Adua as a person or a head of state, instead only noting that Yar'Adua was "swindled into office." A seasoned political observer, Awoniyi appears confident that Yar'Adua will "eventually emerge from beneath Obasanjo's shadow." ¶10. (C ) ACF executive board member and associate founding member of the PDP Ango Abdullahi, in mid-June conversations with PolOff, confided that he would be willing to work with Yar'Adua and expressed interest in joining the "government of national unity." While Abdullahi viewed Obasanjo with contempt, he said that he would entertain the possibility of cooperating in a coalition government if/when he felt Obasanjo's "strings" were definitively severed. Unless and until that comes to pass, Abdullahi promised, former PDP defectors like himself and others who have a stake in "returning power to the North" will have little incentive to confer legitimacy on or work with Yar'Adua. ¶11. (C) Dr. Junaidu Mohammed (strictly protect),former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations in the Second Republic, National Chair of the People's Salvation Party (PSP),and a Soviet-trained psychiatrist, dismissed ABUJA 00001671 004.2 OF 004 President Yar'Adua as a "charlatan and a nobody." He excoriated Yar'Adua for "allowing himself" to remain under Obasanjo's thumb, emphasizing that his proximity to the former president illustrated Yar'Adua's inability to lead and disinterest in governing Nigeria; instead, Mohammed believes that the presidency was foisted upon Yar'Adua and that Yar'Adua "allowed himself to be manipulated." Mohammed, who claims to have visited Yar'Adua in the psychiatric ward of a London hospital in the 1980s while completing his psychiatric post-doctoral fellowship, also assesses that Yar'Adua is "physically unfit" to be president. (NOTE: Mohammed claims that former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida is in possession of Yar'Adua's medical record from his alleged stay at a London psychiatric ward. END NOTE.) Yar'Adua's election, in the end, Mohammed predicts will not effectuate any positive developments for the North. To the contrary, Yar'Adua will remain "aloof" and "indifferent" to the problems of the country, so long as these problems do not "impact the interests of Yar'Adua's puppetmaster." Moreover, Mohammed told Poloff he believes that the culpability of Nigeria's flawed elections that brought Yar'Adua to power lies with the United States government. Should the USG not come out with more strident pronouncements "indicting the conduct of elections," Mohammed avers, the goodwill of the North towards the United States stands in peril of diminishing rapidly. -------------- COMMENT: WILL TRIBE AND RELIGION MATTER? -------------- ¶12. (C) Undeniably, tribe and religion remain indispensable to most Nigerians -- they form the cornerstone of identity and community for legions of Nigerians. However, Yar'Adua's northern, Hausa-Fulani Muslim extraction may well be inconsequential to the policies he enacts, the manner in which he conducts business as president, and the way he is assessed by other northerners. Contrary to assertions that a northern president would necessarily, if not inevitably benefit the North (as the southern, born-again Obasanjo is adjudged to have done in the South),Yar'Adua's ability to emerge from Obasanjo's clutches, introduce reforms expeditiously and fairly, and chart a positive course ahead for Nigerians remains far more pivotal and significant. Yar'Adua, if he succeeds in distancing himself from Obasanjo and enacting policies that benefit Nigerians as a whole, may well be judged on his national policies rather than his regional affiliation. END COMMENT. QUAST