CIVIL SOCIETY TO PROTEST PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000032 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA; STATE PLEASE PASS TO HOMELAND SECURITY HOMELAND SECURITY FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LUTE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL OVIP ASEC NI SUBJECT: CIVIL SOCIETY TO PROTEST PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA'S PROLONGED ABSENCE REF: A. ABUJA 00017 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. 09 ABUJA 2341 (NOTAL) Classified By: Political Counselor James McAnulty for reasons in sections 1.4. (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Civil society organizations, under the umbrella of the "Save Nigeria Group," plan to lead a protest march on January 12 in Abuja, according to the media and local contacts, to protest the continued absence of President Yar'Adua from Nigeria which has a constitutional crisis looming. We understand that this will be a peaceful march, but in Nigeria the situation can always rapidly change. Professor and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, human rights lawyer and West African Bar Association President Femi Falana, former Kaduna Governor Balarabe Musa, and former Biafran leader Dim Chukwuenmeka Ojukwu reportedly plan to address the protesters. The marchers will walk from the Abuja Unity Fountain (across from the Transcorp Hilton Hotel) through Eagle Square to the National Assembly. ¶2. (C) U.S. Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Lute will stay at the Transport Hilton, and we have briefed her security team on this planned demonstration. We will coordinate closely with Deputy Secretary Lute's team regarding any affects on her visit. ¶3. (SBU) Former Governor of Sokoto Attahiru Bafarawa told PolCouns and PolOff January 11 that this march represented the first of several protests to occur in Abuja, Lagos, London, and Washington. He estimated that some 5,000 people would participate in the protest in Abuja and expressed hope that future protests would attract larger crowds. ¶4. (SBU) Nobel Laureate Soyinka earlier told the Ambassador December 23 (ref b) that he planned to work with several civil society organizations on a series of civil disobedience efforts, including holding a major demonstration to coincide with Nigerian Democracy Day on May 29. In addition, Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark noted the upcoming protest to the Mission during his January 8 meeting (septel),emphasizing that several southern groups would be part of this event. ¶5. (SBU) Embassy will monitor and report on developments involving the protest march. SANDERS