NIGERIA: DRL A/S KRAMER, DAS KRILLA MEET INEC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001838

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DRL A/S KRAMER, DAS KRILLA MEET INEC

Classified By: CDA Walter N.S. Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d).


1. (C) Summary: On September 9 Assistant Secretary of State
for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor David Kramer and DAS
Jeffrey Krilla met with Chairman Maurice Iwu and four
additional members of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC). Though the purpose of the meeting was to
express the USG's dissatisfaction with the 2007 elections and
to ask INEC what measures it is implementing to improve the
electoral process, Iwu apparently hoped to spin the visit as
evidence that the USG and A/S Kramer were endorsing INEC's
work. He was clearly disappointed when A/S Kramer asked the
press to leave at the start of the meeting, and reacted to
our statements of disappointment by claiming that our sources
of information on the elections were biased. He alleged
that, no matter how many improvements INEC made, the USG
would continue to condemn its work and demonize him. He
continued on with this mendacious monologue for over an hour,
saying that the election results reflected the "intent" of
Nigerian voters and that INEC is "satisfied" with itself.
End Summary.


2. (C) At the outset, it was apparent that INEC Chairman Iwu
had assumed the meeting would be positive and congratulatory
(or could be spun as such),as he had invited a room full of
both broadcast and print journalists to cover the session.
A/S Kramer, however, almost immediately politely asked that
the press leave so we could have a working meeting. Once
they had gone, and Iwu heard A/S Kramer express
disappointment in the 2007 electoral process, the Chairman
launched into a monologue for most of the next hour. He
alleged that the USG only receives reports from biased
sources, adding, "If you base your opinions on reports from
NDI (National Democratic Institute),IRI (International
Republican Institute),or civil society groups, then you are
missing it."


3. (C) Iwu also claimed that international election observers
had taken sides, had biased political interests, and
expressed opinions that had been "bought" by some unknown
source. He was dismissive of international criticism and
said that some organizations deliberately tried to mock the
Nigerian electoral system. He alleged that the USG has
joined in a "mob" attitude, stating, "No matter how much we
work to improve, the INEC chairmen become devils despite
their credentials." Iwu also denied that the formation of
the Electoral Reform Committee and the Electoral Tribunals'
reversal of many results were indications of problems in the
conduct of the elections. One of the other commissioners,
Dr. Mohammed Jumare, added that no electoral process was
perfect, and asserted that Nigeria's electoral process was
comparable to the 2000 U.S. Presidential election in Florida,
a remark that prompted CDA to say it was time to end the
meeting.


4. (C) Comment: Chairman Iwu and other INEC commissioners'
comments were over the top and insulting. Iwu continues to
ladle out this mendacious codswallop to visitors, further
confirming our view that, so long as he and those of his ilk
remain in charge of INEC, it is hard to see how the
Commission could be seen by anyone as capable of mounting a
credible eletion. End Comment.
PFLAUMER