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Oil Interests, subtle intimidation, trade preferences with China, sundry diplomatic manevourings, among others, are said to be key ingredients currently being considered in high level rapprochement between the federal government, component units of the country, including governors, and foreign interests on how to manage fallouts from the recently concluded Presidential election, Sunday INDEPENDENT learnt in Abuja.
As gathered, the new subdued and measured reactions from foreign observers and diplomatic missions in Nigeria over the election conduct and results, may have been informed more, by the knowledge of Federal government’s likely shift in alliances from its traditional trade partners, which cannot be relied upon, particularly, as it relates to the crisis occasioned by the outcome of the elections.
“It is either they are with us at this trying moment of our democratic evolution or we look elsewhere for partners who will render assistance without meddling in the country’s internal affairs,” explained a senior staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the newspaper on Friday. Though the informer couldn’t speak on record because, according to him, he is not in the best position to speak officially on the matter, federal government needs to contain possible attack on the credibility of last month’s election that witnessed the re-election of the incumbent President Mohammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, which swept majority seats at the National Assembly.
“We have had to tell some foreign missions in Nigeria in the last couple of days to put their interests where their mouths are; You cannot discredit us in the international community and still hope to do business with us. There are far too many willing partners who are ready to come in and wouldn’t rock the boat,” the source further explained, making oblique reference to countries or diplomatic missions considered as the real targets.
Sunday INDEPENDENT further gathered that federal government, had in the last one week, after the election, deployed lobbyists, both on shore and offshore to the US and UK and some country members of G7 asking for their understanding and as well tone down criticisms of the last election.
Indeed, before the February 23 election, federal government had been at daggers drawn with some foreign observers over comments believed to be favourable to opposition. Security agencies had at the time allegedly placed some embassies under surveillance over suspected unwholesome entente with opposition elements in the country.
But after the election and with fallouts challenging the credibility of the election, federal government has embarked on a different rapprochement with the foreign interests. The aim, according to sources is to ensure unnecessary meddling in the affairs of the country.
A presidency source privy to details of the lobby insisted that there were hints also that FG intends to play the oil card. “China and Russia’s Gazprom, have been angling to play major roles in the country’s oil fields and gas reserves. Especially now with trade rivalry between US and China, the Americans with interest in Shell, Chevron and other concerns in Nigeria would not want an increased presence of China in Nigeria,” the Presidency source told the newspaper.
Besides, oil from Nigeria has its peculiar allure for the west. Apart from its crude being the easiest to refine into gasoline, diesel and kerosene, the Nigerian oil field is closer to the West than the Middle East.
On the home front, the presidency is believed to be amenable to allocating oil wells to states as means of improving their revenue bases.
“Northern governors are particularly enamored by the proposal,” explained the presidency source, adding that the deal is what has been spurring governors across party line to support the president.
In fact, this matter was hinted at recently by Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor. According to Egbeyemi, Buhari has promised to make more resources available to the states for them to meet their obligations. “We have some individuals holding oil wells having billions of Naira coming to them every day while majority of Nigerians are living in poverty,” he said. On the re-election of Buhari, the deputy governor said that the President was more determined to make a difference in their lives. He expressed optimism that the president would end the menace of paucity of funds being experienced by most states in Nigeria. “President Buhari, during his second term, must make the states buoyant. He must take oil wells from individuals and allocate them to the states so that they can pay their workers, build more infrastructures and establish industries,” he said.
Though observers have, recently been measured in their responses to the outcome of the election and have congratulated the president on his victory, how long they will remain so remains to be seen especially given earlier reports by some credible observers during the election and the legal challenge being embarked on by Abubakar Atiku, People’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.
The former vice president believes that the last election was not only fraught with irregularities, but also, the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s conduct of the polls was not up to scratch. For instance, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, NCSSR, in its report of the election catalogued lots of irregularities that attended the polling exercise.
NCSSR is made up of 70 NGOs with international connections. These are Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI), Enough is Enough Nigeria, WANGONET, Partners for Electoral Reform, JDPC and YIAGA Africa. Others are Development Dynamics, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Stakeholders Democracy Network, Human Rights Monitor, Reclaim Naija, CITAD, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), CISLAC, among others.
The group observed that voting, for instance, was delayed almost throughout the country.
“The average starting time of voting at most polling units across the country was 11am. It appeared however, and as reported by Situation Room partner organisations, that the delay in commencement of polls was especially pronounced in some states across the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria,” the report said.
They also chronicled logistics problems. “The sheer number of political parties contesting the elections appeared to have overwhelmed INEC’s logistics capabilities, including its ability to carry out timely procurement.
Situation Room further observed challenges related to procurement, deployment and adequacy of materials. Reports were received of sensitive election materials being sent to wrong locations. Although, some of these problems were later corrected, it contributed to the delays witnessed with commencement of polls. In addition to these, Situation Room received reports from Nasarawa, Rivers, Oyo and Anambra States of incomplete election materials,” it added.
Even further, the group noted that the exercise was marred by killings. According NCSSR, election related violence led to the death of at least 39 Nigerians over the first 48 hours of the elections. Breaking down the killings thus, it said Borno State had four; Bayelsa State, four; Rivers State, 16; Yobe State, two; Kogi State, two; Ebonyi State, two; Lagos State, one; Oyo State, one; Delta State, two; Zamfara State, one and Taraba State, four.
“In Lagos, there were reports of disruption of voting by suspected political thugs who were shooting in the air in some places and set ballot boxes and papers on fire, in others. In the Okota, Isolo and Oshodi suburbs of Lagos, there were reports of violence, some caused by non-arrival of INEC officials and materials,” the NCSSR reported.
Some analysts said at the weekend that going by allegations and counter allegations and insistence by the opposition to continue and readiness by the ruling party for the battle, there might be serious legal fireworks over the elections. This, they further argue may delay the rate of development, particularly, given the readiness of Buhari to improve on his performance in the first term.
There have been calls however, that Atiku should drop his bid to challenge the outcome of the election based on the precedence that no presidential election has been upturned by the courts. But Coalition of Human Rights and Democracy Organizations, CHRDO, had a different point of view on the matter. According to them, Atiku and his running mate should not be dissuaded from going to court.
It sighted the celebrated case of “Obi v Ngige, INEC and ors (2003-2006 and other landmark cases Obi won”, and that he did that with “few brilliant and focused legal practitioners, armed with water-tightly loaded evidence.
“In the end, Obi won the case both at tribunal and Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal”, it noted.
The group predicted that if well handled Atiku and his team may achieve a feat similar to what was obtained in Kenya in 2017 when that county’s Supreme Court nullified the presidential election results.
The group said that like what happened in Kenya, that the international election monitors from the EU, the African Union and the US who had after the poll said there was no major fraud on polling day and urged Mr. Odinga to concede defeat and congratulate the winner, President Kenyatta. However, they changed tone after the Supreme Court nullification verdict. “The Kenyan court ruling represented a historic day for Kenya and we have always said that people who feel aggrieved should seek the path of the courts,” the group said.
However, some other analysts and politicians who spoke at the weekend, however did not find the alleged government’s tactic offensive. According to them, it is part of international diplomacy for a country to use available resources at its disposal to effect either disposition or compliance with desired policy, so long as it is in the interest of the citizens of that country.
Making an allusion to Donald Thrump, president of the United States of America, a source familiar with international diplomacy said, “In fact, Thrump, in some cases, use outright intimidation or sanctions, not even minding their effects of the citizens of the countries. But, in the case of Nigeria, it is a subtle threat as well as dangling of carrots, which is more preferable and acceptable.”
Speaking further, he said, “At the home front, it is to the interest of all Nigerians for the states to be economically empowered with the oil blocks, which, to me, should be part of the restructuring being canvassed by some Nigerians.” (Daily Independent)
Sunday INDEPENDENT further gathered that federal government, had in the last one week, after the election, deployed lobbyists, both on shore and offshore to the US and UK and some country members of G7 asking for their understanding and as well tone down criticisms of the last election.
Indeed, before the February 23 election, federal government had been at daggers drawn with some foreign observers over comments believed to be favourable to opposition. Security agencies had at the time allegedly placed some embassies under surveillance over suspected unwholesome entente with opposition elements in the country.
But after the election and with fallouts challenging the credibility of the election, federal government has embarked on a different rapprochement with the foreign interests. The aim, according to sources is to ensure unnecessary meddling in the affairs of the country.
A presidency source privy to details of the lobby insisted that there were hints also that FG intends to play the oil card. “China and Russia’s Gazprom, have been angling to play major roles in the country’s oil fields and gas reserves. Especially now with trade rivalry between US and China, the Americans with interest in Shell, Chevron and other concerns in Nigeria would not want an increased presence of China in Nigeria,” the Presidency source told the newspaper.
Besides, oil from Nigeria has its peculiar allure for the west. Apart from its crude being the easiest to refine into gasoline, diesel and kerosene, the Nigerian oil field is closer to the West than the Middle East.
On the home front, the presidency is believed to be amenable to allocating oil wells to states as means of improving their revenue bases.
“Northern governors are particularly enamored by the proposal,” explained the presidency source, adding that the deal is what has been spurring governors across party line to support the president.
In fact, this matter was hinted at recently by Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor. According to Egbeyemi, Buhari has promised to make more resources available to the states for them to meet their obligations. “We have some individuals holding oil wells having billions of Naira coming to them every day while majority of Nigerians are living in poverty,” he said. On the re-election of Buhari, the deputy governor said that the President was more determined to make a difference in their lives. He expressed optimism that the president would end the menace of paucity of funds being experienced by most states in Nigeria. “President Buhari, during his second term, must make the states buoyant. He must take oil wells from individuals and allocate them to the states so that they can pay their workers, build more infrastructures and establish industries,” he said.
Though observers have, recently been measured in their responses to the outcome of the election and have congratulated the president on his victory, how long they will remain so remains to be seen especially given earlier reports by some credible observers during the election and the legal challenge being embarked on by Abubakar Atiku, People’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.
The former vice president believes that the last election was not only fraught with irregularities, but also, the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s conduct of the polls was not up to scratch. For instance, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, NCSSR, in its report of the election catalogued lots of irregularities that attended the polling exercise.
NCSSR is made up of 70 NGOs with international connections. These are Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI), Enough is Enough Nigeria, WANGONET, Partners for Electoral Reform, JDPC and YIAGA Africa. Others are Development Dynamics, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Stakeholders Democracy Network, Human Rights Monitor, Reclaim Naija, CITAD, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), CISLAC, among others.
The group observed that voting, for instance, was delayed almost throughout the country.
“The average starting time of voting at most polling units across the country was 11am. It appeared however, and as reported by Situation Room partner organisations, that the delay in commencement of polls was especially pronounced in some states across the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria,” the report said.
They also chronicled logistics problems. “The sheer number of political parties contesting the elections appeared to have overwhelmed INEC’s logistics capabilities, including its ability to carry out timely procurement.
Situation Room further observed challenges related to procurement, deployment and adequacy of materials. Reports were received of sensitive election materials being sent to wrong locations. Although, some of these problems were later corrected, it contributed to the delays witnessed with commencement of polls. In addition to these, Situation Room received reports from Nasarawa, Rivers, Oyo and Anambra States of incomplete election materials,” it added.
Even further, the group noted that the exercise was marred by killings. According NCSSR, election related violence led to the death of at least 39 Nigerians over the first 48 hours of the elections. Breaking down the killings thus, it said Borno State had four; Bayelsa State, four; Rivers State, 16; Yobe State, two; Kogi State, two; Ebonyi State, two; Lagos State, one; Oyo State, one; Delta State, two; Zamfara State, one and Taraba State, four.
“In Lagos, there were reports of disruption of voting by suspected political thugs who were shooting in the air in some places and set ballot boxes and papers on fire, in others. In the Okota, Isolo and Oshodi suburbs of Lagos, there were reports of violence, some caused by non-arrival of INEC officials and materials,” the NCSSR reported.
Some analysts said at the weekend that going by allegations and counter allegations and insistence by the opposition to continue and readiness by the ruling party for the battle, there might be serious legal fireworks over the elections. This, they further argue may delay the rate of development, particularly, given the readiness of Buhari to improve on his performance in the first term.
There have been calls however, that Atiku should drop his bid to challenge the outcome of the election based on the precedence that no presidential election has been upturned by the courts. But Coalition of Human Rights and Democracy Organizations, CHRDO, had a different point of view on the matter. According to them, Atiku and his running mate should not be dissuaded from going to court.
It sighted the celebrated case of “Obi v Ngige, INEC and ors (2003-2006 and other landmark cases Obi won”, and that he did that with “few brilliant and focused legal practitioners, armed with water-tightly loaded evidence.
“In the end, Obi won the case both at tribunal and Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal”, it noted.
The group predicted that if well handled Atiku and his team may achieve a feat similar to what was obtained in Kenya in 2017 when that county’s Supreme Court nullified the presidential election results.
The group said that like what happened in Kenya, that the international election monitors from the EU, the African Union and the US who had after the poll said there was no major fraud on polling day and urged Mr. Odinga to concede defeat and congratulate the winner, President Kenyatta. However, they changed tone after the Supreme Court nullification verdict. “The Kenyan court ruling represented a historic day for Kenya and we have always said that people who feel aggrieved should seek the path of the courts,” the group said.
However, some other analysts and politicians who spoke at the weekend, however did not find the alleged government’s tactic offensive. According to them, it is part of international diplomacy for a country to use available resources at its disposal to effect either disposition or compliance with desired policy, so long as it is in the interest of the citizens of that country.
Making an allusion to Donald Thrump, president of the United States of America, a source familiar with international diplomacy said, “In fact, Thrump, in some cases, use outright intimidation or sanctions, not even minding their effects of the citizens of the countries. But, in the case of Nigeria, it is a subtle threat as well as dangling of carrots, which is more preferable and acceptable.”
Speaking further, he said, “At the home front, it is to the interest of all Nigerians for the states to be economically empowered with the oil blocks, which, to me, should be part of the restructuring being canvassed by some Nigerians.” (Daily Independent)
