ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON'S MEETING WITH FORMER HEAD OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000177

SIPDIS
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/17
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV NI
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON'S MEETING WITH FORMER HEAD OF
STATE BABANGIDA

CLASSIFIED BY: McCullough, Dundas C, Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Summary. Former head of state General Ibrahim Babangida
assured Ambassador Carson of his support for constitutionalism, and
affirmed the right of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to contest
the next election provided he prevailed in a (newly) democratic
nomination process within the PDP. For the sake of the party and
the country, he hoped the PDP would adopt internal democracy, and
he discounted regional power sharing arrangements as a stratagem
devised by PDP politicians to capture and preserve political power.
He also expressed support for a vigorous counter-terrorism agenda,
praised the work of the Justice Uwais-led Electoral Reform
Committee, chided former President Obasajno on his role in the PDP,
and called for technical assistance for the Independent National
Electoral Commission, particularly on voter registration lists.
End Summary.


2. (C) On February 10, AF Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson,
Ambassador, and DCM (note taker) called on former Nigerian head of
state General Ibrahim Babangida at his sprawling residence in
Minna, Niger State. Following a brief exchange of pleasantries
with a larger group that included local politicians, the principals
retired to Babangida's office for further discussions.


3. (C) In the larger group, Babangida recalled with gratitude
Ambassador Carson's phone call when he was in Los Angeles attending
to his terminally ill wife in hospital. He thanked the Assistant
Secretary for visiting Nigeria to underscore the USG's continuing
commitment to strong bilateral relations. "This is the time when
we really need assistance," he stated, and quoted approvingly
President Obama's famous call in Accra for Africans to embrace
strong institutions, not strong men. Ambassador Carson reiterated
his condolences to Babangida for the loss of his wife, and noted
that Nigeria remains a critical partner for the USG for compelling
regional, economic, and political reasons.


4. (C) In his office, Babangida stated there would be considerable
debate in Nigeria about the way in which Vice President Goodluck
Jonathan was designated Acting President. However, he agreed that
the National Assembly's resolutions prompting the designation were
"commendable" and that Nigerian politicians from all regions had
bent over backwards to stay within constitutional parameters.


5. (C) Babangida downplayed the significance of a southerner
prematurely exercising executive leadership in Nigeria. Rotating
political leadership among Nigeria's zones, he said, was a
stratagem devised by politicians in the ruling People's Democratic
Party (PDP) to capture and retain political power. "I see no
difficulty with this," Babangida said, referring to Jonathan and
his possible decision to contest the next presidential election
provided Jonathan subjected himself to and prevailed in a
transparent and democratic PDP nomination process. Other parties
could do as they please on regional power sharing, he added.


6. (C) Babangida claimed, "I doubt that PDP is still the strongest
party," in part because of its divisions fueled by the absence of
internal democracy. He chided former President Obasanjo for his
efforts to sustain his influence in the party, and expressed hope
that, in the next presidential election, the PDP nominee would not
be imposed on the electorate but would be the outcome of a credible
nomination process free of ethnic or sectarian bias. "I look
forward to a rebranded PDP, which would be good for PDP and the
country."


7. (C) Ambassador Carson observed that an otherwise generally
credible gubernatorial election in Anambra had been marred by the
late delivery of electoral materials to many polling stations and
the systematic problems with the voting registry that effectively
disenfranchised many voters. Babangida agreed that the Independent
National Election Commission (INEC) "definitely" needs help with
the voter lists. The current registration process is too
complicated, he said, and decision-making at INEC is too
centralized. "A little staff training would also go a long way."
Babangida praised the work of the Justice Uwais-led Electoral
Reform Committee, saying that politicians argued unnecessarily
about who selected the INEC chairman.


8. (C) Ambassador Carson recalled that President Yar'Adua had also
praised the work of the ERC during Secretary Clinton's visit to
Abuja in August, but complained that the National Assembly was
sitting on reform legislation. He advised Babangida of the recent
U.S./UK-funded election assessment team, and its recommendations
for administrative as well as constitutional changes to improve the
mechanics of the electoral process. If the GON adopted these
recommendations, he said, the USG would consider helping with
technical assistance to promote a better voter registry and more
credible, better organized election than the greatly flawed 2007
election.

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9. (C) Carson and Babangida discussed the importance of overhauling
Nigeria's dysfunctional power infrastructure, with Carson
encouraging Nigeria to take more vigorous counterterrorism
measures. Ambassador Carson described the December 25
Abdulmuttalab incident as a "wake-up" call for Nigeria for taking
greater cognizance of extremist influences within its borders and
taking stronger action against them. TSA's "country of interest"
list received regular reviews, and Nigeria could boost its standing
by finalizing the long-stalled federal air marshals MOU with the
U.S., strengthening security at Nigerian airports, condemning
terrorism wherever it occurred, and passing counterterrorism
legislation pending in the National Assembly.


10. (SBU) Ambassador Carson concluded the meeting with an appeal
for Babangida's support regarding the efforts of United Airlines
and Continental Airlines to enter the Nigerian market.


11. (C) Comment: Despite his chequered past, Babangida took the
high road, professing himself to be committed to constitutionalism,
internal democracy in the PDP, and allowing Jonathan to pursue his
political destiny regardless of sectarian or regional constraints.
He was also categorical in his support for counterterrorism.


12. (U) This cable was drafted after Ambassador Carson departed
Nigeria.
SANDERS