CIVIL SOCIETY, OPPOSITION PARTIES CONSIDER STREET

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000795 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM NI SUBJECT: CIVIL SOCIETY, OPPOSITION PARTIES CONSIDER STREET PROTESTS REF: ABUJA 791 ¶1. (U) Summary: One week after the primary election monitoring group called for the annulment of Nigerians election, members of Nigeria's major civil society groups are struggling to define a plan of action. With little confidence in institutional fixes coming either through the courts or the National Assembly, civil society groups are discussing civic actions, including street protests, as early as May 1 as an emerging option. In order to mobilize and sustain civic action, it is clear that this can happen only with the leadership and participation of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) which has traditionally played the key role in nationwide protests. End Summary. CIVIL SOCIETY DEBATES A COURSE OF ACTION -------------- ¶2. (U) At a civil society meeting in Abuja on April 25 organized by the Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE),over 100 participants agreed that while tribunals and judicial remedies should not be excluded from a proactive civil society strategy, civic protest would be more effective. The group agreed that their goal was to work for the annulment of the elections, which they regarded as fraudulent. The group meeting in Abuja decided that the pillars of action should be civic action, legal challenges, and religious calls for action. ¶3. (U) A number of divisions among civil society leaders were on display. Some present thought that the legal and constitutional means were most appropriate. A few lawyers in the group suggested innovative legal strategies including class actions suits and creative use of international instruments including the African and Peoples Charter of Human Rights. Religious leaders in attendance including, Abdullateef Adegbite, the Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) suggested using the courts and high level visits to President Obasanjo. ¶4. (U) Those in favor of civic action described the dilemma in treating the elections as a legitimate exercise, when most Nigerians, they said, did not believe the exercise was credible. The only alternative, they argued, was to go to the streets to demonstrate their disapproval. The question on the table was how to organize and sustain such and effort. Leadership and strategy would be crucial. While the Nigerian Union Commission was represented at a high level, the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) was not, leaving a void in the discussion about specifics and leadership. There was, however, discussion of linking up with "other" like-minded groups to organize protests (reftel). ¶5. (U) A similar meeting was held in Lagos on April 24, according to news reports in which 17 civil society organizations and the African Democratic Congress, a political party led by Pat Utomi, also agreed to begin a nationwide protest on May 1, if the elections are not canceled. The Lagos meeting was attended by a number of significant civil society organizations including the Campaign for Democracy(CD),which has previously spearheaded street protests in Lagos. OPPOSITION PARTY COALITION MEETS TO STRATEGIZE -------------- -- ¶6. (U) A newly formed block of parties calling itself the Coalition of Opposition Parties (COPP) also met on April 24 in Abuja to discuss strategies over the elections. The group includes the leading opposition parties, ANPP and AC. COPP, like the civil society organizations meeting in Abuja and Lagos have rejected the result of the elections as illegitimate and have called for an annulment. COPP also alleges that opposition figures may be charged with treason because of their stands against the election and they hope to keep the story of the election failure alive by possibly joining in the street protests, with civil society, seeking action in the National Assembly and bringing legal action aimed at capturing the imagination of Nigerians. ¶7. (U) According to news reports, COPP believes that tribunals are a waste of time and called on the National Assembly to institute an interim government headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, which would then organize a fresh round of elections. The meeting was attended by ANPP presidential candidate Mahammadu Buhari, AC vice presidential ABUJA 00000795 002 OF 002 candidate Ben Obi, and former NLC Secretary General, Adams Oshiohmole. CAMPBELL