Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAGOS377
2008-09-24 07:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
ANPP LEADER: "NIGERIA IN A STATE OF INSTITUTIONAL
how-toVZCZCXRO0223 RR RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0377 2680737 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 240737Z SEP 08 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0185 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000377
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG ECON ELTN NI
SUBJECT: ANPP LEADER: "NIGERIA IN A STATE OF INSTITUTIONAL
COLLAPSE"
Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000377
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG ECON ELTN NI
SUBJECT: ANPP LEADER: "NIGERIA IN A STATE OF INSTITUTIONAL
COLLAPSE"
Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Summary: Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the first civilian
governor of Edo State and now a leader in the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP),told Poloff and Polspec on September 10
that he believed Nigeria is "slowly sliding into anarchy" as
a result of "institutional collapse" which he blamed on the
ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) system of corruption,
leading to a decline in all public sector services such as
roads, education and the lack of economic development.
Odigie said that Nigeria needed a dramatic shock to shake it
out of its decline, otherwise it will slide into anarchy or
break apart at the first crisis. End Summary.
2. (C) Odigie-Oyegun told Poloff and Polspec on September 10
that Nigeria was in a state of institutional collapse,
pointing to the catastrophic power situation, the scandalous
state of the roads, the serious deterioration of the public
educational institutions, and the absence of meaningful
economic development nationwide. He pointed out that at
independence, Nigeria's level of development was comparable
to that of Brazil and Korea, while Nigeria was decidedly more
developed than India. Now Nigeria has to look up to and envy
these countries, even India.
3. (C) Odigie blamed the ruling PDP for the current state of
affairs. He argued that the PDP has internalized a
value-system of greed and corruption without any aspect of
national service. A party lacking patriotism could not
effectively engage in nation building, he contended. The
example of the leadership, he said, led inevitably to
imitation by the led, and so all of Nigerian society was
slowly being corrupted. Odigie suggested that as
self-interest replaces national-interest, the risk of ethnic
and religious strife grows, and so do the forces pulling the
country apart. Odigie lamented the decline of the Nigerian
Armed forces, which he said would no longer be capable of
dealing with any threat to national unity.
4. (C) Asked if he saw no hope for Nigeria, Odigie said that
only comprehensive electoral reform could force future
governments to rule responsibly. "It is not," he said, "a
matter of the opposition being any better than the PDP. It
is the mere fear of losing an election that forces
politician's to perform." Odigie says he is intensely
disillusioned with the current administration, and sees
little hope for improvement as long as Yar'Adua is in power.
Odigie indicated he thought only some kind of "dramatic
shock" would frighten the ruling elites into undertaking the
necessary radical reforms.
5. (C) Comment: While Odigie has strong views on the state of
affairs in Nigeria, his sentiments reflect his widespread
sense of disillusionment with the last nine years of civilian
government under Obasanjo and Yar'Adua's first year.
Unfortunately, Odigie and other critics continue to wait for
"something to happen" rather than to actively work to change
things either with civil society or with government leaders.
End Comment.
6. This cable was cleared by Abuja.
BLAIR
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG ECON ELTN NI
SUBJECT: ANPP LEADER: "NIGERIA IN A STATE OF INSTITUTIONAL
COLLAPSE"
Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Summary: Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the first civilian
governor of Edo State and now a leader in the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP),told Poloff and Polspec on September 10
that he believed Nigeria is "slowly sliding into anarchy" as
a result of "institutional collapse" which he blamed on the
ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) system of corruption,
leading to a decline in all public sector services such as
roads, education and the lack of economic development.
Odigie said that Nigeria needed a dramatic shock to shake it
out of its decline, otherwise it will slide into anarchy or
break apart at the first crisis. End Summary.
2. (C) Odigie-Oyegun told Poloff and Polspec on September 10
that Nigeria was in a state of institutional collapse,
pointing to the catastrophic power situation, the scandalous
state of the roads, the serious deterioration of the public
educational institutions, and the absence of meaningful
economic development nationwide. He pointed out that at
independence, Nigeria's level of development was comparable
to that of Brazil and Korea, while Nigeria was decidedly more
developed than India. Now Nigeria has to look up to and envy
these countries, even India.
3. (C) Odigie blamed the ruling PDP for the current state of
affairs. He argued that the PDP has internalized a
value-system of greed and corruption without any aspect of
national service. A party lacking patriotism could not
effectively engage in nation building, he contended. The
example of the leadership, he said, led inevitably to
imitation by the led, and so all of Nigerian society was
slowly being corrupted. Odigie suggested that as
self-interest replaces national-interest, the risk of ethnic
and religious strife grows, and so do the forces pulling the
country apart. Odigie lamented the decline of the Nigerian
Armed forces, which he said would no longer be capable of
dealing with any threat to national unity.
4. (C) Asked if he saw no hope for Nigeria, Odigie said that
only comprehensive electoral reform could force future
governments to rule responsibly. "It is not," he said, "a
matter of the opposition being any better than the PDP. It
is the mere fear of losing an election that forces
politician's to perform." Odigie says he is intensely
disillusioned with the current administration, and sees
little hope for improvement as long as Yar'Adua is in power.
Odigie indicated he thought only some kind of "dramatic
shock" would frighten the ruling elites into undertaking the
necessary radical reforms.
5. (C) Comment: While Odigie has strong views on the state of
affairs in Nigeria, his sentiments reflect his widespread
sense of disillusionment with the last nine years of civilian
government under Obasanjo and Yar'Adua's first year.
Unfortunately, Odigie and other critics continue to wait for
"something to happen" rather than to actively work to change
things either with civil society or with government leaders.
End Comment.
6. This cable was cleared by Abuja.
BLAIR