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CAUTIONS NIGERIA
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The United States has warned in strongest terms yet that any attempt at tenure extension by President Olusegun Obasanjo, "could lead to political strife and eventual break up of the country."
This grim warning was made by U.S. Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte, when he testified before the US Senate Committee on Intelligence.
Negroponte was throwing more light on the U.S. "Annual Threat Assessment," conducted by his office.
The Directorate of National Intelligence was created to coordinate intelligence gathering amongst all US agencies after the September 9/11 attack on the United States.
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Negroponte's chilling comment came two days after President George W. Bush called for the US to end its "addiction to oil". He said the combination of rising demand for energy and instability in oil-producing regions, "is increasing the geopolitical leverage of key producing states".
Negroponte said that the 2007 elections in Nigeria would be the most important election on the African horizon. The vote, he said, has the potential to reinforce a democratic trend away from military rule - or it could lead to major disruption in a nation suffering "frequent ethno-religious violence, criminal activities, and rampant corruption." He said that speculations that President Obasanjo would try to amend the constitution to attain a third term in office was raising political tensions and if proven true, threatens to unleash a major turmoil and conflict.
"Such chaos in Nigeria could lead to disruption of oil supply, secessionist moves by regional governments, major refugee flow and instability elsewhere in West Africa," Negroponte said.
However, he stated that, "some good news is coming out of Africa" but warned that the continent remains a potential recruiting ground for terrorists.
"In much of the continent, humanitarian crises, instability and conflicts persist. Overlaying these enduring threats are the potential spread of Jihadist ideology among disaffected Muslim populations and the region's growing importance as a source of energy. We are most concerned about Sudan and Nigeria."
This is the third time this year the US is making strident attacks on alleged tenure extension plan in Nigeria.
At the beginning of the year, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Herman Cohen, expressed US opposition to tenure extension for President Olusegun Obasanjo.
"There must be a change in Nigeria now, so someone new can come in and move the anti-corruption progra-mme forward," Cohen had said.
Earlier, the US official position on President Obasan-jo's alleged tenure extension was again voiced by the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who had said though President Obasanjo had not officially declared his intention, but that there was need to respect term limits.
Nigeria’ll not disintegrate – Fanikayode
NO matter what happens in future, Nigeria will not disintegrate". With these words Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Chief Femi Fanikayode dismissed recent report by the United States Intelligence Agency that the country will be thrown into chaos if the third term bid succeeds.
Speaking on the Cable News Network (CNN), he described such warning as mere "doomsday prophesy" The United States Intelligence Agency had recently said that Nigeria may disintegrate following plans by supporters of President Olusegun Obasanjo to amend the constitution to allow him stand again for 2007 election. "The American intelligence community should not allow themselves to be misled by disinformation and false reports about what is going on in Nigeria. "No matter what happens in future, Nigeria will not be disintegrated," Fanikayode said.
He said that Nigerians could decide on constitution making and amendments on their own.
"The Americans are our friends and allies. We have collaborated in a number of national and international fora with them and we will continue to do so.
"However it is most unhelpful when anybody indulge in doomsday prophesy about what may or may not happen in Nigeria in future. "The issue of constitutional making is what Nigerians can do on their own and we don’t need any lesson from outside. "The President has not commented on the issue of third term and will not do so until after the process of constitutional amendment has been completed. We cannot be pushed into a corner and forced to answer hypothetical question.
"However it is part and parcel of democratic process for the people to fashion out a constitution through their elected representatives, that is that is the true reflection of their will.
"It is also part and parcel of democratic process for people to make choices and that is precisely what Nigerian people are trying to do today through constitutional process and no one should take that from them. "It would not be proper for us to comment now (on third term). When we get to the bridge we shall cross it."
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