INEC CHAIRPERSON CALLED OUT ON DISMAL PERFORMANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 000159 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, AF/PDPA, DRL, INR/AA AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/26 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR OVIP SOCI NI SUBJECT: INEC CHAIRPERSON CALLED OUT ON DISMAL PERFORMANCE CLASSIFIED BY: James P. McAnulty, Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy Abuja, Political Section; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, Special Assistant, USAID Democracy Officer, and PolOff (notetaker) met with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairperson Maurice Iwu February 10 to emphasize the importance of establishing good election processes in Nigeria. The Assistant Secretary described the enduring impact of poor elections on Nigerian leadership and institutions, and the fragility of such institutions resulting from Iwu's failure since 2007 to manage the technical, administrative, and logistical components of Nigerian elections. Iwu had assembled various election Commissioners for the meeting. After a 30-minute diatribe touting INEC's small successes and blaming others for INEC's problems, Ambassador Carson sternly reminded Iwu that for Nigeria to move forward, he must ensure that democracy represents the will of the people vis-a-vis the proper management of election processes. Ambassador Carson hit Iwu hard for blaming everyone else for INEC's continual failures rather than assuming responsibility for them as the principal, manager of the election process. The meeting was vocal and pointed, leaving Iwu to understand, in no uncertain terms, that the USG expects to see different INEC leadership no later than the expiration of his five-year term in June 2010. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Assistant Secretary Carson explained to INEC Chairperson Iwu that democracies are more important than any single person and that a country's elections determine the credibility of its leadership and the enduring quality of its institutions. Ambassador Carson asserted that, although democracy writ large has been on an upward tilt in Nigeria since the tenure of Olusegun Obasanjo, the election process has fluctuated between small successes and catastrophic failures, such as the 2007 elections. He added that Nigeria needs good elections to validate its leadership in the region, retain respect from international partners, and avoid letting down its people. Ambassador Carson reminded Iwu of the Secretary's meeting last August with President Yar'Adua in which Yar'Adua himself stated that he could not understand how India, with over 1.2 billion, diverse people and regions, and Malaysia, with over three time zones, can make elections work while Nigeria still cannot. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Carson told Iwu that he had failed to perform the most essential of his responsibilities -- to make sure that the technical, administrative, and logistical management of the election process works. He added that the USG and international community know that the 2007 elections were seriously flawed, because of how and where the ballots were printed, how they got to Nigeria, how they were counted, and how Nigerian voters were excluded from the most fundamental right to vote. "Your process was flawed; hence, you were responsible for this," he strongly stated. ¶4. (C) Iwu countered with a 25-minute response, in which he described elections "as a process, rather than a single event" and insisted that INEC could not be expected to function properly during such a "political crisis and hostile environment as exists presently in Nigeria." He explained that, since 2007, INEC was operating in a hostile environment as the President and Vice President "were at each other's throats, political parties lacked internal democracy, forcing candidates on the people." He continued that he "had no say on the election process or mechanism for disciplining wrong-doing; and, had no support from the law." Iwu then blamed lack of resources and staff for INEC's "shortcomings" and the media's obsession with "blaming INEC for everything." He claimed that, "even if elections were flawed, we were confident that no one could beat Yar'Adua anyway." Carson then asked why Nigeria should hold any elections at all, if everyone knew who would win. Iwu replied by reverting to his ABUJA 00000159 002 OF 003 explanation of five factors that he identified as problematic but beyond INEC control -- 1) lack of political party internal democratic practices; 2) electoral violence; 3) the dominant role of money in elections; 4) gender imbalance; and 5) the mindset and behavior of "winning at all costs." Iwu claimed that "INEC is not as important as people think" and that "INEC is only a small part of the democratic process." He then congratulated himself and INEC for their performance during the February 6 Anambra gubernatorial election, allegedly working closely with the Anambra people to "domesticate the process," stem violence, and convince people to accept the results. ¶5. (C) Assistant Secretary Carson countered by scolding Iwu and noting that nowhere in his 25-minute litany did he address INEC's most essential responsibility -- management of the technical, administrative, and logistical functions of elections. He told Iwu that it was not the INEC Chairperson's job to worry about political parties, democratic philosophy, or proper mindsets and behaviors, but rather to make sure that, operationally, elections function properly, and do the technical work necessary to ensure the process is not flawed. Responding to the recent Anambra elections, Ambassador Carson agreed that the elections in Anambra may have been credible, free, fair, without violence, and reflecting the will of the people, but scored low marks on the very tasks for which INEC had responsibility -- voter registration, polling station operations, ballot management, and overall administration of elections. He specifically highlighted inadequate voter registration and voter lists as significant examples of INEC's poor preparedness. Assistant Secretary Carson told Iwu that he would give INEC a "D" grade for preparedness in Anambra. Then he warned Iwu that it would be a mistake to use the Anambra election as the "gold standard" for conducting election operations, given these deficiencies, noting the other 35 states would participate in elections simultaneously in 2011. Many of these states, he added, are larger and more complex than Anambra; therefore, they needed to do better. Ambassador Carson informed Iwu that the U.S. and U.K. recently funded an independent election assessment team to look at INEC and other processes of the Anambra election. He recommended that Iwu carefully read the team's report and heed its recommendations. In parting, Ambassador Carson sought to confirm Iwu's departure in June at the end of his five-year term, to which Iwu replied that he did not know. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) INEC Chairperson Iwu devoted most of his time during the meeting to blaming others for his failures, taking credit for small successes, and elaborating on his grand vision for strengthening Nigerian democracy. He expended little time, however, on what mattered most -- managing efficient, timely, and transparent elections. While the February 6 Anambra State election may be considered a success -- as defined by the will of the people and the absence of violence -- the dismal management of the process is cause for serious concern heading towards national elections in 2011, when 35 other states will participate simultaneously in the process. As long as Iwu remains removed from the necessary hands-on technical, managerial, and administrative requirements of his position, both his broader goals for Nigerian democracy and Nigerians' overdue right to legitimate political leadership will have little chance of becoming reality. END COMMENT. ¶7. (U) Participants: United States: ABUJA 00000159 003 OF 003 Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson Ambassador Robin R. Sanders Deputy Chief of Mission Dundas C. McCullough AF Special Assistant Akunna E. Cook Political Officer Anthony R. Eterno (notetaker) Nigeria: INEC Chairperson Maurice Iwu National Commissioner Victor Chukwuani National Commissioner Adedeji Soyebi Commission Secretary Alhaji A. A. Kaugama Advisor to INEC Chairman Ambassador Brownson Dede ¶8. (U) Assistant Secretary Carson departed from Abuja before he had an opportunity to clear on this telegram. SANDERS