Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY106
2009-02-23 21:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:
PM CHOSEN AS MNSD PRESIDENT AT PARTY CONVENTION; PRO-HAMA
how-toVZCZCXRO0307 PP RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHNM #0106 0542112 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 232112Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4871 INFO RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000106
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W
PLS PASS TO TSCTP MEMBERS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI KCOR PHUM NG
SUBJECT: PM CHOSEN AS MNSD PRESIDENT AT PARTY CONVENTION; PRO-HAMA
CAMP CRIES FOUL
REF: a) 08 Niamey 01084, b) 08 Niamey 01028
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000106
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W
PLS PASS TO TSCTP MEMBERS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI KCOR PHUM NG
SUBJECT: PM CHOSEN AS MNSD PRESIDENT AT PARTY CONVENTION; PRO-HAMA
CAMP CRIES FOUL
REF: a) 08 Niamey 01084, b) 08 Niamey 01028
1. Summary: MNSD members selected PM Oumarou as party president
during a February 21 extraordinary congress in Zinder, elevating him
from his role as interim president. Party members also chose
Minister of Interior Abouba as party Secretary General. Numerous
MNSD members who supported former PM Amadou claimed they were
improperly denied entry to the party leadership election; they
refuse to accept convention decisions, which they regard as being
made contrary to bylaws. This threatened party schism does not bode
well for a year in which local, parliamentary, and presidential
elections are all anticipated. End summary.
-------------- --------------
MNSD Chooses PM Oumarou as President, MOI Abouba as Sec Gen
-------------- --------------
2. On February 21, the ruling party Mouvement National de la
Societe de Developpement (National Movement for a Society of
Development - MNSD) convened an extraordinary convention in Zinder
to select new leadership to bring an end the stalemate that has
afflicted the party since the June 2008 detention of its president,
former Prime Minister Hama Amadou (Ref B). The 2,140 delegates at
the convention unanimously selected current Prime Minister Seyni
Oumarou to replace Hama Amadou, raising his party stature from
interim to full party president (Ref A). The convention also
selected Albade Abouba, the current Minister of State for Interior,
Public Security, and Decentralization, as the party's new Secretary
General, and revised some provisions of the party's bylaws.
3. In other business, convention delegates decided to decrease party
executive board members' terms of office from five to three years,
and voted for a resolution to apply appropriate sanctions for
violations of the party's statutes.
-------------- --------------
MNSC Pro-Amadou Faction Claims Denied Entrance, Voice
-------------- --------------
4. On the margin of the convention, however, supporters of former
Prime Minister Hama Amadou, imprisoned on corruption charges since
June 2008, held a press conference to complain that security agents
had denied them access to the convention hall. There are
unconfirmed media reports that police momentarily detained an
unknown number of partisans outside the MNSD convention site. Hama
supporters stated that the convention was held in violation of the
party's bylaws, and therefore they did not recognize any resolutions
taken or leaders appointed at the convention. They warned that the
current situation may lead to instability on the part of government
institutions.
--------------
Comment
--------------
5. The convention was based on a resolution passed on January 11 by
104 out of 150 MNSD partisans present at a leadership meeting; its
purpose was to allow the MNSD to settle its differences and commence
preparations for the 2009 local, legislative, and presidential
elections. While PM Oumarou stated in his acceptance speech that
the responsibility conferred upon him requires him "to forgive...and
to lead party members to cohesion," it appears that the schism
within the party has yet to heal. Observers expect a long legal
dispute as the President Tandja/PM Oumarou bloc and the Hama camp
continue battling for legitimacy to lead the party. End comment.
6. Minimize considered.
ALLEN
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W
PLS PASS TO TSCTP MEMBERS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI KCOR PHUM NG
SUBJECT: PM CHOSEN AS MNSD PRESIDENT AT PARTY CONVENTION; PRO-HAMA
CAMP CRIES FOUL
REF: a) 08 Niamey 01084, b) 08 Niamey 01028
1. Summary: MNSD members selected PM Oumarou as party president
during a February 21 extraordinary congress in Zinder, elevating him
from his role as interim president. Party members also chose
Minister of Interior Abouba as party Secretary General. Numerous
MNSD members who supported former PM Amadou claimed they were
improperly denied entry to the party leadership election; they
refuse to accept convention decisions, which they regard as being
made contrary to bylaws. This threatened party schism does not bode
well for a year in which local, parliamentary, and presidential
elections are all anticipated. End summary.
-------------- --------------
MNSD Chooses PM Oumarou as President, MOI Abouba as Sec Gen
-------------- --------------
2. On February 21, the ruling party Mouvement National de la
Societe de Developpement (National Movement for a Society of
Development - MNSD) convened an extraordinary convention in Zinder
to select new leadership to bring an end the stalemate that has
afflicted the party since the June 2008 detention of its president,
former Prime Minister Hama Amadou (Ref B). The 2,140 delegates at
the convention unanimously selected current Prime Minister Seyni
Oumarou to replace Hama Amadou, raising his party stature from
interim to full party president (Ref A). The convention also
selected Albade Abouba, the current Minister of State for Interior,
Public Security, and Decentralization, as the party's new Secretary
General, and revised some provisions of the party's bylaws.
3. In other business, convention delegates decided to decrease party
executive board members' terms of office from five to three years,
and voted for a resolution to apply appropriate sanctions for
violations of the party's statutes.
-------------- --------------
MNSC Pro-Amadou Faction Claims Denied Entrance, Voice
-------------- --------------
4. On the margin of the convention, however, supporters of former
Prime Minister Hama Amadou, imprisoned on corruption charges since
June 2008, held a press conference to complain that security agents
had denied them access to the convention hall. There are
unconfirmed media reports that police momentarily detained an
unknown number of partisans outside the MNSD convention site. Hama
supporters stated that the convention was held in violation of the
party's bylaws, and therefore they did not recognize any resolutions
taken or leaders appointed at the convention. They warned that the
current situation may lead to instability on the part of government
institutions.
--------------
Comment
--------------
5. The convention was based on a resolution passed on January 11 by
104 out of 150 MNSD partisans present at a leadership meeting; its
purpose was to allow the MNSD to settle its differences and commence
preparations for the 2009 local, legislative, and presidential
elections. While PM Oumarou stated in his acceptance speech that
the responsibility conferred upon him requires him "to forgive...and
to lead party members to cohesion," it appears that the schism
within the party has yet to heal. Observers expect a long legal
dispute as the President Tandja/PM Oumarou bloc and the Hama camp
continue battling for legitimacy to lead the party. End comment.
6. Minimize considered.
ALLEN