Nigeria Content Online

The Osun State
governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday, accused his Oyo State
counterpart, Adebayo Alao-Akala, of lying when he said that Ladoke
Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was now solely
owned by Oyo State. Mr. Aregbesola was at the International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Wednesday to seek assistance on his
agricultural programme for his state. During his re-election campaign
at Ogbomoso on Monday, Mr. Alao-Akala had told the crowd that the state
had taken full ownership of the university, whose joint ownership with
Osun has remained a matter of controversy. Mr. Alao-Akala announced his
intention to acquire the institution solely for Oyo State and had
appointed a vice chancellor.

Undermining the process

The battle for the
control of the 20-year-old institution started during the
administration of the former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola,
who had a public disagreement over the university with Mr. Alao-Akala.
Both men were members of the People’s Democratic Party. Efforts to
resolve the crisis by leaders of the party in the South West were
unsuccessful, and it is going to be more difficult since Osun State is
now under the control of the Action Congress of Nigeria. Despite the
change of government in Osun, Mr. Alao-Akala is still pursuing his
mission with vigour and to underscore his seriousness, he has been
going around cities of the state in recent times promising the
establishment of campuses of the university across the state to get
indigenes to support his re-election bid. But, Mr. Aregbesola yesterday
blamed the press for giving Mr. Alao-Akala undue recognition, adding
that Oyo state would be rescued from him.

“At best, the man
should be a security officer, but because of law, he finds himself in a
governorship position and he is undermining the very process that
brought him into power,” Mr Aregbesola said.

“How do you explain that somebody would whimsically and unilaterally
claim an institution jointly owned by two states when the law that
established it has not been abrogated?”

The House of
Representatives has approved a Resolution to question the leadership of
the Independent National Electoral Commission for rejecting some
candidates presented for elections by political parties.

The House
committees on Electoral Matters and Justice, have one week to seek
explanations from the chairperson of the commission, Attahiru Jega, and
other officials, especially the legal commissioner, Phillip Umeadi, on
why court orders on candidates’ replacements have not been adhered to,
the House ruled on Wednesday.

The electoral body
has come under criticism from politicians since it ended replacement of
candidates by their parties in February, leaving open substitution
occasioned only by death, voluntary withdrawal or court rulings.

While political
parties say the electoral body, by law, lacks powers to decide on who
is fielded for elections, the commission has insisted that its mandate
includes upholding the Electoral Act’s definition of a “candidate”,
which requires the person to have been chosen through elections.

At the ratification
of code of conduct for political parties on Tuesday, many officials of
the parties said they were opposed to the commission’s new regulations
since the electoral body had refused to recognize the candidates they
sent.

Mr Jega, the
chairperson of the commission, replied that the commission’s position –
largely different from the past – is anchored strictly on the content
of the Electoral Act which he said does not permit imposition of
candidates.

Mr. Jega explained that once the order for replacement comes from the courts, the commission is bound to obey.

The lawmakers, many
of them victims of the issue – having lost the primaries and subsequent
effort to have their names inserted – dabbled into the prickly matter
yesterday with some calling for caution while others markedly condemned
the body.

“The commission’s
attitude of accepting some candidates and rejecting others against
valid and subsisting court orders cast doubts in the minds of Nigerians
against its role as an impartial arbiter in the conduct of free, fair
and credible elections in Nigeria,” said Ehioge West-Idahosa, the
sponsor of the motion.

His position was
supported by Elizabeth Ogbaga, (PDP, Ebonyi) and Sokonte Davies
(PDP,Rivers State) and Bala Na’alla (CPC, Kebbi State).

Mrs. Ogbaga, however, blamed the courts for continually issuing arbitrary injunctions.

But in the matter
regarded by other lawmakers as morally touchy for the House to take a
position on since some members may be in the elections, the electoral
commission found a host of defenders who rather berated the politicians
for failing to play by the rules.

“If anybody feels
that INEC is disobeying court order, the option is file a contempt
charge, so we cannot make any conclusion on this matter here. The
processes of the courts are there for all to follow,” said Leo Ogor, a
member from Delta State.

The motion scaled the pressure, and authorised an inquiry of the commission’s position on choice of candidates.

The Nigerian media has a major role to
play in enlightening farmers on how to achieve food security, Constance
Okeke, a Programme Officer at ActionAid Nigeria, has said.

In an interview in Abuja on Wednesday,
Ms Okeke noted that the media should be responsible for “disseminating
the right information on food security to Nigerian farmers. When the
Nigerian farmer is aware of what is happening, he will know the right
thing to do.”

She stressed that the underlying
principle of the “The Right to Food” programme launched by Actionaid
Nigeria two years ago was to underscore the right of every Nigerian,
including women and children, to be free from hunger.

According to her, efforts are currently ongoing to create the necessary awareness about the programme at the community level.

“We feel that we cannot achieve
anything if the awareness has not reached the right people who are the
farmers and who are the beneficiaries of the programme,” she said.

Ms Okeke said ActionAid officials had
visited the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to inform him
about the programme.

On her assessment of the programme, she said “For us in ActionAid,
the success of the programme will depend on when Nigerian farmers are
able to request for their right from the Federal Government.” </

[ID:59055 Cable dated:2006-04-03T06:35:00]
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 000478

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STATE PASS DOE FOR GPERSON AND CGAY
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD
STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: EPET, ENERG, ASEC, EAID, NI
SUBJECT: CHEVRON NIGERIA SEEKS LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO DELTA UNREST

Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for reasons 1.4 (d) and (e).

——-
Summary
——-

1. (C) Chevron Nigeria security consultant Hamish MacDonald shared concerns that a large amount of money was paid for the release of the Delta hostages and an industry of hostage-taking may be in the offing. Chevron has managed thus far to stay out of harm’s way, but MacDonald feels the urgent need to expand internationally-supported, long-term development programs. He plans to discuss the matter privately with Delta State Governor Ibori. Chevron will be welcoming a new Managing Director, and, with his arrival, MacDonald expects Chevron to transition from an expansion mode to one of consolidation. End Summary.

——————————————— ——–
Chevron Worries about Deal Struck to Release Hostages
——————————————— ——–

2. (C) At a March 29 meeting with the Ambassador, Chevron security consultant Hamish MacDonald said Chevron was “blindsided” by the commitments made to effect the March 26 release of three hostages held by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). He said company sources indicated “a very large amount” of money had changed hands for this release, far more than in the release of hostages in January, and if true, we might be witnessing the birth of an industry. The Ambassador replied that the USG commitment remained strictly a willingness, at the invitation of the GON, to observe a newly created development commission that might include members of the aggrieved communities which harbor the hostage takers.

3. (C) MacDonald compared MEND to the IRA, noting its small size relative to its demonstrated ability seriously to disrupt oil operations, as well as its facility for manipulating the media. He felt MEND was targeting companies with poor community relations and business practices and, as such, Chevron still enjoyed an uneasy immunity from attacks.
Polcouns observed that both Willbros and Tidex had bad reputations among communities. MacDonald observed that Chevron was consequently rethinking its relationships with various contractors. He admitted that the oil companies did not have a uniform approach to the largest service companies which they all must use.

4. (C) MacDonald did not believe the military yet had the capacity to launch an effective retaliation against the Delta militants, and, he said, control over security forces was fragmented. He said since his arrival in Nigeria in 2003 there had been only very small increases in the military’s operational capacity. He felt National Security Advisor Aliyu Mohammed had his own agenda as well as a large measure of control over security forces. At the same time, MacDonald cherished his relationship with Chief of Army Staff Gen.
Agwai, who is close to the President and commonly believed to have a good handle on the issues behind Delta region unrest.
He said Chevron currently employs Agwai’s daughter through their youth employment program.

———————————-
Production Impact Not Yet Critical
———————————-

5. (C) MacDonald said that of the country’s 25-30% loss of total oil production, at least 15% could be restored within a couple weeks if the environment were secure. Chevron has so far only suffered one pipeline vandalism at Makaraba, affecting 13,000 barrels per day of production and relatively quick to fix. At the same time, he said, Chevron is still eyeing for the future a more complete resumption of its on-shore production, bringing up to 80,000 bpd back on-line.

LAGOS 00000478 002 OF 003

——————————————— ———-
New Managing Director is a Consolidator not an Expander
——————————————— ———-

6. (C) MacDonald announced Fred Nelson would replace Jay Pryor as Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria by mid-May this year and that there would be a two-week overlap. Nelson was in Nigeria 8 years ago and so has some familiarity with the region. MacDonald called Nelson a “consolidator,” while Pryor had been concerned with growth and expansion. He expected Chevron to augment its relationship with the Federal Government in Abuja by increasing its office size there. As opposed to Shell, Chevron had traditionally maintained a very small presence in Abuja, with the effect of distancing itself from the purely political decision-makers. The Ambassador offered to invite Nelson for a country team briefing on his arrival in country, and MacDonald responded enthusiastically.

——————————————— —
Lack of State and Federal Capacity Hinder Plans for Long-Term Development
——————————————— —

7. (C) MacDonald stressed the importance of the Rivers State development model, spearheaded and partially financed by the State Governor and the Niger Delta Development Commission but with capacity-building support from the USG, HMG and the World Bank. He said state governments, while they did not lack funds for development, did not have the capacity to sustain development programs and would therefore need assistance. He agreed, though, the impetus for these programs had to come from the state governors and indicated Chevron would privately approach Delta State Governor James Ibori to initiate a similar program in his state. MacDonald stressed the private nature of the meeting, intimating Ibori’s reputation with the militants made any direct relationship with Chevron a difficult proposition. (Comment:
In comments to the press during the last hostage crisis, the Presidency likewise stated the Rivers State model, while good, is not enough and must be expanded to other states in the Delta region. End Comment.)

8. (C) MacDonald felt oil companies were being slow to develop a consensus among themselves as to how to respond to the current Delta crisis, and there is a reluctance to formulate a unified solution. The Ambassador noted the potential for the current series of meetings in Washington and London to play a role in such necessary coalition building.

——————————————— –
MacDonald Believes MEND has Impetus from Abuja
——————————————— –

9. (C) MacDonald insinuated Delta unrest had impetus from Abuja, observing that Vice President Atiku had lately appeared more relaxed and free to maneuver. He noted the convenient timing both of the hostage release and the re-capture of Charles Taylor in conjunction President Obasanjo’s visit to Washington. He felt Obasanjo was seeking a closer relationship with former head-of-state and notorious political fixer Ibrahim Babangida (IBB). His sources told him Obasanjo spoke with IBB on the phone for over an hour on March 26 and that IBB’s recent press interview, while bordering on announcing his candidacy for the presidency and opposition to a third term, left his options open.

——-
Comment
——-

10. (C) While upper-level management of the oil majors continues publicly to share the GON’s view of MEND and Delta unrest as essentially criminal rather than political in
nature, MacDonald’s view is different. Instead, his
proposed solutions include the immediate expansion of the

LAGOS 00000478 003 OF 003

Rivers State development initiative, added pressure on Delta region governors, beginning with Ibori, to follow suit, and improved cooperation and the building of a united front among the oil companies, and reflect his view that the issues are essentially political. End Comment.

11. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja.
BROWNE

Charges of alleged
certificate forgery against the Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam
lingers on as one of his opponents for the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) governorship ticket has asked a Federal High Court sitting in
Abuja, to disqualify Mr Suswam based on his educational qualification.

Terver Kakih also
listed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, West
African Examination Council as defendants.

In a 39-paragraph
affidavit deposed to by the plaintiff, Mr Kakih claimed that Mr Suswam
“used the intimidating influence of the state to foist himself on the
PDP and picked the party’s nomination to contest for office of governor
for a second term in the forthcoming elections.” He also claimed that Mr
Suswam submitted forged credentials to the PDP screening committee.
“One of the information which an aspirant is required to swear to an
Oath on and verify is possession of requisite educational qualification
which will entitle the aspirant, under the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, to hold the office of a governor and to
substantiate the requirement of educational qualification, an Aspirant
must attach to his Party nomination form, copies of his certificates
issued by the relevant educational institutions or examination bodies
charged with issuing such certificates.” Mr Kakih explained.

Sole candidate

The plaintiff said
himself and Mr Suswam submitted their credentials to the PDP and were
both invited for screening and cleared to contest the party primary. He
said he later has reason to doubt the authenticity of the certificates
presented by Mr Suswam and asked the court for an order of interlocutory
injunction restraining the PDP and INEC, their servants, agents and or
privies from recognising or continuing to recognise the name of Mr
Suswam as the candidate of the PDP for the April governorship election
in Benue State, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive
suit.

Mr Kakih is also
seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the INEC from
giving any recognition or further recognition to any other candidate(s),
apart from himself and his running mate, as gubernatorial and deputy
gubernatorial candidates of the PDP at the 2011 general election pending
the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The matter will come up before Ibrahim Auta, who is the presiding judge on Friday.

The
Federal Government has said it is making steady progress towards
achieving the target of the Roadmap it set last year for the power
sector.

Minister
of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, who presided over the meeting of the
Presidential Action Committee (PAC) on Power on behalf of President
Goodluck Jonathan, told reporters in Abuja that government effort so
far resulted in the supply of about 3,824 mega watts (MW) of
electricity last Monday, the highest level in recent times.

“We
(government) are making good progress in a number of areas, though we
want to do better. The highest level of electricity supply of 3,824 MW
was achieved last Monday. We had a very successful road show on the
privatization of the power sector, and we harvested an encouraging
number of expressions of interest for the companies on offer for sale.
We expect that most of them would be quality investors, who are willing
and committed to help the success of the road map,” he said.

The
minister said government is interested in partnering with companies
that possess not only the financial strength and technical competence,
but also those with the commitment to drive the business and deliver
electricity as quickly as possible, to make the power sector flourish.

“We
are working on a mechanism to gather direct feedback on specific areas
government needs to focus attention on to improve the situation,” he
said.

Impressive growth

Special
Adviser to the President on Power, Barth Nnaji, said the meeting
reviewed government’s effort to improve and stabilise power supply in
the country, pointing out that apart from generation, significant
improvements were recorded in the area of electricity transmission.

In
December 2010, he said electricity transmission capacity achieved 98
percent improvement of the target set under the Roadmap, from 5,155.2MW
at 330kV level and 6,676.8MW at 132kV level last July to 5,515.2MW and
7,328MW at 330kV and 132kV level respectively.

Since
last December, the adviser said two more 60MVA transformers have been
commissioned in Dakata and Port Harcourt municipality, with four more
billed for Ajaokuta, New Haven, Katsina and Birnin Kebbi to be
energised before the end of this month.

In
addition, he said 11 transformers with 60MVA 132/33kV capacity have
since arrived the country awaiting installation at various locations
nationwide, to help boost the electricity transmission capacity to the
100 percent target under the Roadmap.

According
to Mr Nnaji, “Before now, power supply was fluctuating between 2,000
and 3,000 MW. Today, we are making progressing. It would not be
possible for Nigerians to feel the impact, even when the supply rises
to 4,00MW, because the gap between demand and supply is quite huge. The
important thing is that government is doing what it needs to do to grow
power supply to an appreciable level where the people will begin to
feel the impact,” he said.

Holistic approach

He
said government is now looking at the development of the entire
infrastructure in a holistic manner, rather than focus only on
generation and transmission. Director General BPE, Bolanle Onagoruwa,
said about 331 expressions of Interest (EOI) were harvested from
prospective investors in the 11 distribution and six generating
companies, made up of 167 for distribution companies and 174 for
generating companies at the expiration of the deadline last Friday.

Though
the BPE boss said the EOIs are yet to be opened, she said the bureau
will finalize the evaluation criteria within the next one week, while
the evaluation process will begin immediately after.

She assured that investors are not likely to face gas supply
challenges, as all the power plants now being privatised already have
their sources of gas supply.

[ID:95500 Cable dated:2007-02-06T15:37:00]
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000087

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STATE FOR AF/W
STATE FOR INR/AA
WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK
CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR
ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH
SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2017
TAGS: CASC, EPET, KDEM, NI, PGOV, PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP 9: HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE; GOVERNMENT AGREES TO PAY RANSOM

REF: LAGOS 76

Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

1. (C) On February 5, American citizen Bill Graham told Pivot employee (name withheld) the negotiation process should conclude as soon as possible because British national Neil Mirrlees’s condition is very weak. John Walker of Control Risks Group could not confirm delivery of the Oral Rehydration Therapy for Mirrlees. (Reftel)

2. (C) State Security Service (SSS) Director(name withheld) told Walker on February 5 that Governor Ibori has decided to conclude the hostage negotiations despite Federal policy prohibiting ransom payments. This decision was made in light of Mirrlees’s condition, according to SSS Director.
Ransom payment was contingent on the condition that it never be publicly mentioned; SSS Director warned Pivot employee (name withheld) would be arrested if it became known.

3. (C) According to Walker, SSS Director (name withheld) said he would arrange for the hostages’ release once he had the full naira 20 million ransom (approximately USD 156,000) in hand.
BROWNE

The presidential
candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu; the All
Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, Ibrahim Shekarau and the Social
Democratic Mega Party candidate, Pat Utomi will today, in Abuja,
dialogue with Nigerians on the policy direction of their government, if
elected in next month’s election. However, it is not clear yet if
President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari
will participate in the dialogue as they are yet to make firm
commitment on their attendance.

The three
presidential candidates are to speak to Nigerians at a forum titled
‘Policy Dialogue with Presidential Candidates’ organised by the Murtala
Muhammed Foundation. Mr. Muhammed was Nigeria’s head of state between
July 1975 and February 1976, when he was killed in a bloody but failed
military coup led by Bukar Suka Dimka.

The candidates were
billed to speak yesterday, but were absent from the event apparently
due to campaign engagements outside Abuja. Emeka Maduegbuna, one of the
organisers of the forum, said though one of the candidates, whom he did
not name, was expected to dialogue with Nigerians yesterday when the
event began, he could not do so because of flight challenges in Lagos
where he was coming from.

“His aircraft had a challenge and couldn’t fly into Abuja,” he said.

Mr Maduegbuna, who
was also the master of ceremony, explained that the candidates of the
PDP, ACN, CPC, ANPP and SDMP were invited for the programme but that
only Messrs Ribadu, Shekarau and Utomi confirmed their attendance.

Not disappointed

Also speaking,
Aisha Oyebode, a member of the foundation and daughter of the late head
of state, said she was not disappointed that none of the candidates
made it to the programme yesterday. She explained that it was organised
to enable the flag-bearers tell Nigerians their policy directions in
relation to infrastructure and other issues affecting Nigerians.
“Before the election, I think it is important for us to be able to hear
from the presidential candidates in relation to matters that affect the
collective well being of Nigerians; whether in terms of infrastructure,
whether it is in terms of education, whether it is in terms of health,”
Ms Oyebode told NEXT in an interview after the programme yesterday.

“But I am not
disappointed because they said they are coming tomorrow. I have three
of them coming tomorrow. One was supposed to be here today but his
plane had a problem and so there isn’t much we can do about it. That is
an act of God.

He himself was very apologetic but he is definitely going to be here tomorrow (today).”

Nigerians are
miracle workers. They have devised ingenious means of coping with their
miseries. They construct their own roads, build schools, sink bore
holes, discover the best power generating machines. So, whatever the
government does with the commonwealth is not their business. After all,
they have found a way round their troubles. What a people; what a
country.

A former civilian
governor from one of the south-south states, while on the run from the
law, was actually aided by his people to escape from the country. They
frustrated every attempt by security personnel to track him down. These
same people were those whose wealth he had cornered and used for the
good of himself and family.

Another former
state governor who was recently ousted by the Appeal Court, took his
impoverished state to the capital market to take a bond of over N17bn ,
about seven months to the end of his second term in office. By the time
he was thrown out of office, about 60 per cent of the money had been
spent on ‘developmental projects’. For his ‘good work’ while in office,
a well attended thanksgiving service was organised for him in his
village home. Shouts of ‘hallelujah’ echoed, as the drums were rolled
out to welcome back home a proud son of the soil who has represented
his people well.

Following this same
path of honouring our heroes, a befitting thanksgiving service was also
recently organised for a very important politician in a “rascally” part
of the country, following his completion of a two-year jail term for
corruption. Prominent in the crowd of well-wishers at the service were
a former president, serving governors, ministers, ambassadors, among
others. Their mission was simple: to welcome home a darling son,
leader, father and husband who had done his people proud.

A while ago,
$250,000 cash kept in the treasury room of the Nigerian Football
Federation suddenly developed wings. Almost two years later, nothing
tangible has come of the various investigative panels set up to probe
the missing money. The same Nigerian Football Association was purported
to have paid $250,000 to the Iranian Football Federation, for the Super
Eagles’ failure to turn up for a friendly match with the Iranian
national team. Money, of course, is not our problem. It has never been.

We live in a very
special country with very special humans. A country where people with
questionable records rise to hold prominent political positions. A
country where a man who was living on friends yesterday, suddenly
becomes wealthy overnight after a stint in political office. A country
where people place curses on their relatives for coming out poor after
holding political office.

When will Nigerians
begin to make our leaders accountable to their people? When will
Nigerians ask the kind of questions being asked in the Maghreb? Until
then, let us continue to enjoy the enviable record of being the
happiest people on earth.

Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

Kano State governor
and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate,
Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that he is determined and committed to
bringing the desired change if elected the president of Nigeria in
April 2011.

Mr. Shekarau was
speaking to a crowd of ANPP supporters yesterday in Abakaliki, the
Ebonyi State capital, during the flag-off of the party’s presidential
campaign.

He said Nigerians should expect drastic changes they have been agitating for in all segments of the society.

Mr. Shekarau, who
finally launched his campaign after some disagreement with the Ebonyi
State government, said that Nigeria needs to be bailed out from what he
described as the misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the
last 12 years.

“It is true that
majority of Nigerians have lost confidence in the PDP leadership and
are yearning for change. And we promise to give that desired change
they have been searching for.

“We will restore
safety of lives and properties in Nigeria; we will reduce unemployment;
above all, we shall give every Nigerian a sense of belonging by
restoring justice, which is the bedrock of every democracy,” Mr.
Shekarau promised.

In the same vein,
Julius Ucha, the Ebonyi State governorship flagbearer of the party,
urged the indigenes to ensure that they vote for ANPP at the poll,
saying that their votes would determine their future, liberation of
their children, and above all, peace and unity among them.

Ogbonnaya Onu, the
national chairman of the party, who hails from the state, equally
joined many of the speakers at the event to urge the people of the
state to vote out the PDP-led government. He said ANPP has the capacity
to win the presidential election because it is now a united party.

However, two serving ANPP governors, Madu Sherif and Ibrahim Geidam of Borno and Yobe States, were absent at the occasion.

While in the state, Mr. Shekarau paid a courtesy call on the state
governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chigozie Ogbu, in his
absence.