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  • U.S., U.K. warn against tampering with polls results

    U.S., U.K. warn against tampering with polls results

    The United States and the United Kingdom yesterday warned against any attempt to undermine the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    A joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that “there are disturbing indications that the collation process—where the votes are finally counted—may be subject to deliberate political interference”.

    But, the spokesperson of the INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, Mr Kayode Idowu, said there was no basis to suggest that there was any interference.

    The joint statement reads: “Our governments welcome the largely peaceful vote on March 28.  The Nigerian people have shown a commendable determination to register their vote and choose their leaders.

    ”So far, we have seen no evidence of systemic manipulation of the process.  But there are disturbing indications that the collation process—where the votes are finally counted—may be subject to deliberate political interference.  This would contravene the letter and spirit of the Abuja Accord, to which both major parties committed themselves.

    ”The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom would be very concerned by any attempts to undermine the independence of the Electoral Commission (INEC), or its Chairman, Professor Jega; or in any way distort the expressed will of the Nigerian people.”

    Idowu, in an interview with the AFP, said “there is absolutely no basis” to talk of interference after a warning from Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart Philip Hammond.

    “There is no interference at all. We are about to start the collation process. We have no evidence of political interference,” he said.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) believes INEC officials and agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have interfered with the collation in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

    APC governorship candidate in Rivers State Dr. Dakuku Peterside yesterday urged men of goodwill to rise and save Rivers State from the clutches of evil and an impending doom. In a statement, he described last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state as a farce and called on Jega to cancel the results.  He said reports from every part of the state showed that voting did not take place.

    According to the APC candidate, members of the PDP took result sheets to private homes and entered fake results. He reminded Nigerians that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, urging everybody to rise in defence of the disenfranchised, people of Rivers State.

    Peterside said: “I did not vote, just like all our members, including Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. I was only accredited and shortly after, hoodlums suspected to be PDP thugs invaded the place. The boys who invaded the centre were about 50 armed youths and the same thing was repeated in the entire Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency and across Rivers State.

    “Our people refused to vote because they knew that result sheets were in the hands and homes of PDP members. I led over 40, 000 people to INEC office to register our protest. I am sure our protest against this daylight robbery is receiving attention. Prof. Jega said during a news conference that he has received our protest letter.

    “Even our opponents know that there was no election in Rivers State. All we are asking for is that we should be given opportunity to cast our votes like every other country. Let me say that I am very sure Buhari would have done well if elections had held in Rivers State.

    “We are pleading with the world because what is happening in our state is most tragic. We have never had this level of violence; it is unprecedented. Over 10 people died, over 50 APC members were arrested. It is clearly the desperation of some people who want to get power by all means, even at the cost of human lives. And if you do a check, you will discover that all those who died or sustained injuries are all members of the APC.

    ”All we are asking for is inclusion in our country’s electoral process. But we need to have confidence in the election umpires. We don’t have confidence in Mrs Gesila Khan. Sadly, she has not shown that she is a woman of integrity and that is worrisome. But I am optimistic that we will get justice because the world already knows. So, we are looking forward to a new date to cast our votes”.

     

  • Politicians who stoke violence won’t escape, say U.S., UK

    Politicians who stoke violence won’t escape, say U.S., UK

    Nigeria is under world’s focus as it holds presidential and national assembly elections on Saturday, the United States and the United Kingdom said yesterday.

    This follows the broadcast on Monday, by U.S President Barack Obama to Nigerians urging peaceful and fair elections.

    Yesterday U.S Secretary of State John Kerry, and U.K Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, reaffirmed the message of peace and crisis-free elections in a joint statement.

    They also warned of dire consequence for politicians who stoke violence.

     They said: “The elections must be decided in accordance with the rule of law. It follows that any person who incites violence at any stage in the electoral process, or who seeks power through unconstitutional means, should be held accountable and should understand that the consequences will be severe, both domestically and internationally.

    “After an election, it is natural to focus attention on the winner, but in any democracy, the unsuccessful candidates also have critical roles to play.

    “No one expects any political leader to retreat from firmly-held policy positions or beliefs, but a losing candidate owes it to his or her country to acknowledge defeat as soon as the popular verdict is clear, to urge supporters to accept the outcome, and to advocate unity in the face of national threats. That is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs.

    “A free, fair, and peaceful presidential election does not guarantee a successful democracy, but it is nevertheless an essential ingredient—especially now in Nigeria.

    “There are good reasons why the international spotlight is firmly fixed on Nigeria during this critical period and why we have come together to support an open and credible electoral process

    “Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and what happens there will have an impact well beyond its borders. A successful election, free from violence and with wide participation, accurate vote counting, and responsible leadership from the candidates would inspire the region and spur future progress and prosperity.

     “As friends and democratic partners of Nigeria, we urge that the voting for president and parliament go forward as scheduled on March 28; there should be no further delay of this crucial vote

     “In 2011, more than 800 people died in post-election clashes, and a recent survey shows that half of Nigerians are concerned about political intimidation this time around,” they said.

    “The good news is that President Jonathan and General Buhari have repeatedly and publicly stressed their commitment to non-violence before, during, and after Election Day.

    “Both candidates have affirmed their intent to act solely through legal channels in pursuing any concerns that might arise regarding the fairness of the vote.

    “It is imperative that they—and their backers—live up to this pledge. Elections should be decided at the ballot box and, if necessary, in the courts; not through efforts to coerce others.

    “Respect for the constitutional process and the independence of Nigeria’s Independent National Election Commission, (INEC), is the right approach, and the only one that offers a sustainable way to address Nigeria’s many challenges.

    “The countries we represent, the United States and the United Kingdom, strongly support the pledges articulated by the Nigerian candidates.

     “This is a country rich in resources and blessed by a creative and dynamic population. Its leaders can be extremely effective as evidenced by their swift action to prevent Ebola from establishing a foothold in their nation—thus saving thousands of lives.

    “Overall economic growth rates are healthy and parts of the country are doing well. And yet, Nigeria has been held back by local tensions, a wide disparity between rich and poor, the lack of an adequate safety net for the disadvantaged, shortages of electricity, a rigid bureaucracy, and widespread corruption.

    “These challenges have made the country vulnerable to internal conflict including kidnappings, murders, and other atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram.

    “Nigeria’s next government will need the support of all its citizens to address these challenges, and its unity will make it easier, on the security side, for regional neighbours and the larger international community to provide necessary help.

    “We urge all eligible Nigerians to vote, to resist those who attempt to incite violence, and to come together as one country to defend against terrorist threats and to build the shared prosperity and enduring freedom all Nigerian citizens deserve.”

  • U.S to boost Nigeria’s food safety, export

    U.S to boost Nigeria’s food safety, export

    Nigeria’s effort to improve food safety and boost the export market is to enjoy the support of the U.S. Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID). A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy said the support aimed to drastically reduce food-borne and food-related illnesses in Nigeria.

    The statement said USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture had been working with the Nigerian food industry since 2013 to revise the national food policy. “Since 2013, the U.S. Government, through USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked with Nigerian food industry stakeholders in the public and private sectors, and with development partners.

    “The aim is to revise the national food policy and develop an implementation strategy. These efforts have laid the foundation for the work of the recently inaugurated committees charged with ensuring that food safety systems in Nigeria are on par with international best practices,” the statement said.

    It said the interventions supported by the U.S. Government would improve food safety, thereby helping Nigerians avoid food-borne and food-related illnesses. According to the U.S. Government, additional support to the ‘farm to table’ food production and processing value chain will ensure that Nigeria’s agricultural exports conform to international standards and food safety requirements.

    It said the ‘farm to table’ programme would also create more profitable agricultural entities and contribute to the diversification of the Nigerian economy. The statement said that a four-day national training on food safety, supported by the United States Government, was ongoing in Abuja.The training was organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. The statement quoted the USAID Mission Director in Nigeria, Dr Michael Harvey, as saying that the training is part of the U.S. Government’s long-term effort to support the National Food Safety

  • U.S. probing Boko Haram’s link with ISIS

    THE United States (U.S.) is probing Boko Haram’s alleged link with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), it was learnt yesterday.

    There are also indications that the U.S. is considering providing additional equipment, training, advisory, and logistics support for the onslaught against Boko Haram in the weeks ahead.

    A transcript of the daily press briefing of the White House in Washington DC, the U.S. capital, showed that the State Department believes the allegiance pledged by Boko Haram might also be a propaganda tool.

    Boko Haram, at the weekend, came out with a message pledging allegiance to ISIS.

    State Department’s spokesperson Ms Jen Psaki said: “We’re undertaking to assess the validity of these reports. Regardless of what links may or may not exist, Boko Haram remains a tremendous threat to the stability of the region and the safety of civilians.

    “I think it’s important to also note that Boko Haram has previously pledged allegiance to both AQIM and al-Qaeda core in the past, but those pledges were assessed to be pledges of solidarity rather than any indication that its leadership plan to take orders from or allow these groups to usurp control.

    “In fact, we observed minimal operational cooperation among the groups in that particular case. So, I just thought that was relevant information in terms of what’s happened in the past. Obviously, we’ll look into this, but we’ve also seen similar claims that are more designed for propaganda purposes than operational engagement.”

    She added that despite the fact that there is no indication that Boko Haram’s claim on ISIS differ from the previous ones to al-Qaeda, the U.S. “will assess what it means. We continue to watch closely, and obviously, we take any of this seriously”.

    On reports of ground troops from Chad and Niger launching a ground offensive and an air offensive against Boko Haram, she said: “We are aware of reports that Chadian and Nigerian troops are taking action against Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria, as are Nigerian forces. “We welcome the coordinated efforts by the defence and security forces of the region to protect civilians from Boko Haram. We are providing general support for the counter-Boko Haram effort, including equipment, training, and intelligence. We’ll consider additional equipment, training, advisory, and logistics support in the weeks ahead, and that’s something that has been ongoing in terms of our support for the counter-Boko Haram efforts for some time now.”

  • Our role in ensuring fraud-free polls, by U.S.

    Our role in ensuring fraud-free polls, by U.S.

    United States (U.S.) Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in an online briefing with reporters, spoke on the elimination of fraud in polls, Boko Haram and other issues affecting Nigeria. WALE AJETUNMOBI was there.

    The U.S.’s role in encouraging electronic voting and elimination of fraud

    That’s a great question to start with.  As you know, promoting peaceful, transparent and fair elections on the continent of Africa is a high priority for the United States (U.S.) government.  So, we have been supporting the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission of (INEC) as they move toward electronic electoral cards.  We have provided support since 1999 and we will continue to support their efforts.  We understand that for this election, they’ve gotten out now about 75 per cent of the electronic voting cards, and we hope that during the next few weeks (they have until March 8) that additional cards will be picked up.  In fact, we encourage listeners here to pick up their voting cards.  This is going to be a key election for Nigeria.  We are watching very closely as the preparations go forward for the election that will take place on March 28, and I look forward to seeing you there.

    Is Nigeria making sufficient progress against Boko Haram to safely hold their elections on March 28? 

    We have been assured by the government of Nigeria and by INEC  Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega that the elections will take place on March 28.  And we are seeing very active work being done by Nigeria’s security service, working closely with the government of Chad, Cameroon and other neighbours, to fight Boko Haram.  We are all watching this election.  This election will be a bellwether for the entire continent.  The world is watching, the continent is watching, Nigeria’s neighbours are watching this election.  And our hope is that the election will be free and fair, that it will be transparent, it will be peaceful, and that the results of the election will reflect the will of the people of Nigeria.  I will be in Nigeria on the 27 of March,  as an observer for the election on the 28.  As you know, Secretary Kerry visited Nigeria a few weeks ago, and again, expressed our concern that there will not be violence.  He met with both candidates.  He met with President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), he had a conversation with Chairman Jega, he met with the press, and he made it very, very clear that Nigeria is a strategic partner of the United States, we want to see this election go well, and we want to continue to work with Nigeria in the future.

    Boko Haram, African Intervention Force and the Peace-keeping Office

    In fact, we worked very, very closely with the African Union (AU) as they moved toward setting up these peace-keeping forces.  We were part of their efforts in Somalia, setting up AMISOM, we worked very closely with the African Union as it set up the peace-keeping force in CAR (Central Africa Rpublic), before that turned over to a UN (United Nations) Peacekeeping Force, and we are working closely with the African Union that just approved the Multinational Task Force to support the efforts against Boko Haram, so our efforts are multi-faceted.  We work directly with the African Union, we work in supporting bilaterally, countries that are making contributions to peace-keeping forces, we work directly with the UN if it is a UN peace-keeping force.  So, we don’t have a single route for supporting these efforts.  The point that I want to leave you with is that we do support Africa’s efforts to provide peace-keeping support, and Africa has been a very good and close partner of ours over the past many years.

    Military assistance against Boko Haram.

    Let me start by expressing my condolences to all of the people in the region who have lost lives, their family members affected by the attacks on them by Boko Haram.  We have been working very closely with the government of Nigeria for more than a year, in fact, even longer, in supporting their efforts against Boko Haram, in terms of providing training, in terms of providing equipment, as well as providing information through our programme of information sharing, and we are very actively involved in the information fusion cell that exists in Abuja right now.  We are also working closely with the neighbours, and I commend the AU’s decision during the AU Summit to support the Multinational Task Force, and support the countries in the region as they organise themselves to fight against the terror that Boko Haram is posing throughout the region. We have…I have met with your President, met with your Foreign Affairs Minister, and your Minister of Interior, who was here last week.  We are, again, providing support to the government of Cameroon.  We just delivered, I think, earlier this week, some equipment directly to the military, and we are looking at additional equipment requests that have been made to us by your government, as well as by other governments in the region.  We want to support their efforts to end the terror that Boko Haram is committing throughout the region, and we are committed to ensuring that these efforts succeed.

    The position of the U.S. on terrorism activities in Africa

    Our commitment is categorical.  As you know, last week we hosted the Countering Violent Extremism Conference, the White House Conference on Countering Violent Extremism, and we brought together twelve African…thirteen African countries and the AU, along with countries from around the globe, to discuss how we can work together as partners to fight terrorism, not just in Africa, but around the globe.  The issue in Africa is one that we are very much taken with.  It’s a high priority.  We are working very closely with African partners in Somalia to fight against Al Shabaab, we are supporting the efforts of African partners in West Africa to fight Boko Haram, we work closely with partners in Mali and Niger, in Algeria and Mauritania to fight AQIM, and we will continue to put resources toward the efforts of supporting our African friends and partners to ensure that we end terrorism attacks that are having a negative impact on growth, having a negative impact on peace and security, and keeping young people from pursuing the goals that they want to achieve, in terms of education and prosperity on the continent of Africa.  Our commitment is a strong commitment, and again, it’s one that we can’t do by ourselves, and African countries can’t do alone.  We have to work as partners.

    The vision of the U.S. for Africa by 2020

    I think our vision is clear.  Our vision is the African vision.  It is a vision of peace; it is a vision of security; it is a vision of prosperity.  And in order to achieve that, we have to continue to pursue good governance; we have to continue to pursue transparency and the end to corruption; and to help build economies in Africa that provide jobs, and provide prosperity for all of the African people.  It’s a tough job.  It’s the vision we have today.  It will not be something that we can accomplish overnight.  So, by 2020, I hope that we are able to see this vision start to develop into something that is concrete on the African continent.

    Stabilising any instabilities that may occur during the election process

    As you know, in 2015 and 2016, there are over a dozen elections on the continent of Africa, and we are working closely with every single country where there are elections to ensure that these elections are peaceful, they are free, they are fair, and they are transparent, and that they represent the will of the people of these countries who are going to the polling stations to vote.  The one that is coming up right now in Nigeria, we have provided immense support to the INEC in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission.  As you may know, I spoke to Chairman Jega in Nigeria last week, to encourage him in his efforts to continue to courageously support peaceful elections in Nigeria, and we feel the same about elections elsewhere on the continent.  So, we will be there in every country, through our embassies, through our support to political parties, to our support to providing civic education to citizens who may be voting in elections.  We will be there in every single case to ensure that everything that we can do, everything within our power, to support peaceful, transparent elections, will be done.

    Corruption in Africa

    Corruption, as I have said many times, is a cancer all over Africa, and corruption has kept Africa from really moving forward in this century in terms of education, in terms of infrastructure, in terms of growth.  And there are a lot of people across the continent who are affected by the tens of billions of dollars that have been stolen from their economies.  Following the African Leaders’ Summit last year, or during the Summit, we announced an illicit finance initiative, where we are working with African countries to help them to deal with the issue of corruption.  The government of Senegal has agreed to work with us on this effort, and we are also working very closely with the AU.  As you know, the AU had a high level commission looking at illicit finance last year, this was led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, and they have determined that these billions of dollars are really having a negative effect on Africa.  So, this is something that we all have to work on, it is something that populations have to work on, it is something that the press has to take strong positions on, but it is important that when people go to the polls to vote, that they also vote against corruption, and they let their politicians know that they do not support the continued corruption of their economies that have led them to the place where the education systems across the continent are no longer providing good education for the people of Africa, that jobs are not being provided.  We know that there are some amazing young people on the continent.  Through our YALI programme, we had more than 50,000 young people apply for the YALI programme last year, 30,000 this year.  We are looking forward to announcing the 500 who will be in the YALI programme, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Programme, and we see the number of young people who are logging onto the YALI website.  So, I would disagree that corruption is leading people to be involved in crime.  I think it is leading young people to take a stand, and to show leadership, and to be involved so that they can ensure that the next generation on the continent of Africa does not suffer as this generation has.

     

     

  • U.S. top diplomat to monitor presidential poll

    The United States (U.S.) yesterday said it had got Federal Government’s assurance that the presidential election would hold on March 28, as re-scheduled.

    This followed the rumour that the Federal Government may make another polls’ shift.

    Besides, U.S. top government officials are expected in the country to monitor the general elections.

    Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, addressed African reporters yesterday in Washington D.C. via a live web chat.

    Thomas-Greenfield, who is the top-most U.S. official on African affairs, said Nigeria remained America’s strategic partner in Africa.

    The top diplomat noted that the wellbeing of the most populous black nation was essential to achieving lasting peace on the continent.

    She said the world’s focus had been on Nigeria since the elections were re-scheduled.

    Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. would strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free and fair elections and partner the government to avert violence.

  • U.S. to Jonathan, Buhari: Feb. elections must go on

    U.S. to Jonathan, Buhari: Feb. elections must go on

    Kerry talks tough against violence

    May 29 handover sancrosant, says President 

    Next month’s elections must go on as scheduled, theUnited States (U.S.) said yesterday.

    There have been unpopular suggestions of a shift in some circles,  with the tacit support of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The position of the U.S was conveyed in Lagos yesterday by Secretary of State John Kerry after separate meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the top contenders in the February 14 presidential election.

    National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) gave the clearest hint yet of the interest of the Federal Government in shifting the elections when he declared at a lecture in Chatham House in London last Thursday that there was nothing wrong in postponing the polls to enable eligible Nigerians collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    The statement has attracted outrage from many Nigerians, who likened it to a coup against the Constitution.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned the “advice”, saying it is a ploy to enable the ruling party regain its breath. But the PDP has not said anything on it.

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega has, however, said a change in date is not contemplated by the agency.

    Yesterday, Kerry declared: “It is imperative these elections happen on time and as scheduled and must be improvements over past elections.”

    He added: “They must set a new standard for this democracy. That means, Nigerians must not only reject violence,  they have to actually promote peace.”

    Kerry met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House in Marina, Lagos before meeting with General Buhari at the U.S. Consulate House in Ikoyi.

    Gen. Buhari was accompanied by APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Campaign Director and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

    The delegation arrived at the venue at about 2.41pm and immediately went into the closed door session, which lasted about two hours.

    Kerry also cautioned against violence.

    He said any politician who organised a widespread “systematic violence” against civilian population will be held accountable, including placing them on diplomatic sanction.

    A source said Buhari told Kerry that the APC was against violence, adding that unruly behaviours occurred in PDP states.

    He said: “I came here today to deliver a very simple message and I have met with both major candidates to underscore that international community has paid a very close attention into this election and we are deeply committed to working with Nigerians with the hope that they will have an election that is free of violence and capable of instilling confidence in the future.”

    The U.S. envoy said there was need for a long-term and comprehensive global effort to combat violent extremism and to address its underlying causes. Nigeria, he said, knows how such global effort is desperately needed.

    He said the U.S was concerned about the effrontery of Boko Haram, which, he said, daily visits its bloody campaign on innocent civilians, and attacks villages and military installations in places like Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. He said the U.S. government deeply regretted the toll, which insurgency was taking on the people.

    Kerry dismissed the notion that there was an alliance between Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and Boko Haram, saying intelligence before the U.S. government showed the latter sprang up independently.

    He said President Barack Obama pledged his support for the Nigerian troops in fighting Boko Haram insurgency. He said there was need for a multi-national strategy that would not only crush Boko Haram and Al-qaeda, but which would also address the environment from where violent extremism grows.

    He said: “This is why President Obama announced an international summit next month in Washington on combating violent extremism around the world. It will be held at the White House and it will be at the ministerial level and we hope to bring people together; they will be engaged on the fight against Boko Haram and other entities. So, we can share best practices and we can hear from people about what they need and what they think is necessary to summon stronger global response.”

    The envoy said the best way to combat Boko Haram is by organising peaceful, credible and transparent election, which he said is essential for any thriving democracy. Nigeria, which he described as the largest thriving democracy in Africa, cannot afford to miss the opportunity.

    “I met with President Jonathan earlier today (yesterday) and separately with Gen. (Muhammadu) Buhari. I was encouraged to hear once again from both men that, this is exactly what they intend to do; to try to press for election that would be held with credibility, which people of Nigeria want and deserve.

    “As President Jonathan said in his New Year’s message, ‘none of our political ambitions is worth the blood of any of our countrymen, women and children’. And as Gen. Buhari recently twitted, ‘electoral violence is unacceptable and every Nigerian life is sacred’. Both candidates have also signed on to the so-called Abuja Accord, which commits them to running exclusively issue-based campaigns, refraining from violence before during and after election day;  And speaking out against violence.

    “This is a commitment we need to see from everyone. And they are commitments that need to be kept. Many people are stepping out. For example, Comrade (Attahiru) Jega, chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the commission’s employees are taking concrete steps to guarantee these elections are successful. We also urge all Nigerian governors to call for peaceful democratic engagements. We ask all parties, candidates to do the same.”

    If any candidate had reason to doubt the outcome of the election, Kerry said such a person should explore the legal channel, which he said is the most viable option and fundamental to the democratic process.

    He said Nigeria remained a strategic partner of the United States and has critical roles to play in development of Africa. The envoy said U.S. government was committed to ensuring the general elections are successful, noting that President Obama, last week, sent an Electoral Security Adviser to advise INEC on security and risk for any violence that might emerge.

    Kerry said: “Let me be clear. Anyone who participates in widespread systematic violence against the civilian population must be held accountable, including ineligibility for American visa. Violence has no place in democratic elections and I guarantee you that the perpetrators of such violence will not be welcomed in the United States of America.”

    The U.S. Secretary also spoke on telephone with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, wishing him well “on the onerous task of conducting an election that will be acceptable to all Nigerians and deemed credible by international community.”

  • U.S. seeks violence-free polls in Rivers, others

    United States Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle has called for violence-free elections in Rivers and other parts of the country.

    Entwistle spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday at a meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Rivers, Nyesom Wike, and top party chiefs.

    Wike accused Governor Rotimi Amaechi of deliberately crippling the Judiciary to prevent the prosecution of cultists he released from detention.

    He  told the ambassador that he has information that Amaechi has directed some hired workers to pour chipping at the Amasieamaka stadium to prevent President Goodluck Jonathan from campaigning there on January 28.

    He added that the actions of the APC in Rivers State negate all known democratic principles.

    Wike urged the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to criticise the “ undemocratic steps taken by the APC in Rivers State”.

    He said: “I have information that the outgoing administration wants to pour chipping at the stadium to create impression that there is work going on at the venue.

    “Our position is simple. President Jonathan will use the stadium to campaign. The trick being adopted by the outgoing governor will not work.”

    Entwistle said violence-free elections would deepen the nation’s democracy. He urged stakeholders to work towards educating their supporters on peaceful politicking, campaigns and elections.

    He said the American government is committed to a level-playing field for all political parties contesting the 2015 elections.

    The ambassador was accompanied to the meeting by the Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins.

  • U.S. : no sign Nigeria’ll collapse this year

    U.S. : no sign Nigeria’ll collapse this year

    United States (U.S.)Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle has said there is no sign Nigeria will disintegrate this year. He denied knowledge of any American government report predicting the country’s collapse.

        The ambassador, who condemned the gun attacks on All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Rivers State, spoke in Lagos yesterday.

    He said: “I have been plagued by that question ever since I got this job. I have gone back and looked, I can’t find any government report that said we thought Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015, may be some think-tank or somebody outside the government said it, I don’t know. But, in my opinion as U.S. Ambassador to this country, I am not worried in the least that Nigeria is going to disintegrate in 2015. Do you face big challenges now? Of course you do. So does my country. But, I see a Nigeria that if you can do what needs to be done in the coming years on security, on corruption and all of those things, I think the future for Nigeria is very bright. Whenever I travel around this country, I always try to go to the universities and have big sessions to give talks to students and have questions and answers and whenever I do that, I leave with incredible sense of optimism about Nigeria when I get to know your best and brightest. So, are there challenges for Nigeria under the horizon? Sure, but I have no doubt that Nigeria will muscle them, will move on. Will it be easy? Of course not. Nothing is easy in this life… We are now here in 2015, I don’t know what you see but I can’t see those signs that Nigeria will disintegrate. I see signs of growth and I say that not to minimise the challenges that you have.”

      He also described as ‘nonsense’ the allegation that his country has imposed arms embargo on Nigeria.

    Entwistle told reporters that no country has assisted Nigeria in its war against terror more than the U.S., adding that the insistence on the respect for human rights should not be interpreted to mean arms embargo. He also faulted the claim that U.S. has refused to sell Cobra helicopters to Nigeria to aid the war against terror.

    He said: “In terms of what is happening in the Northeast and military relationship, we have all seen in recent months a lot of stuff about the U.S. imposing an arms embargo, I am here to tell you as President Obama’s personal representative to this country that that is nonsense; that is not true.

    “We have given this ship, NNS Okpabana; we have a number of discussions on the way right now. A good portion of the assistance we give every day on the war against terror are things I can’t talk about that much, but I can assure you that no partner is doing more to assist Nigeria in its fight against terror now than the United States of America. We have seen the most unfortunate incident in Baga and that underlines to me the importance of continuing this fight.”

    Speaking on the Nigerian Army’s abrupt termination of a training arrangement with the U.S. Army, Entwistle said it was painful to the U.S. that it was called off despite the resources his country had put into it.

    He added that the army was supposed to provide the equipment for the training but failed to before it called it off.

    Entwistle said: “We are still talking about a number of equipment, different kinds of helicopters that can be more appropriate to that kind of thing. But, what are our human rights considerations? When I got here about two years ago, there were discussions about the conduct of the Nigerian Army in the Northeast about the treatment of the civilian population. It was reported in your media. This is not something we came up with. Nigerians themselves were focusing on it. So, we have had a lot of discussions with the Nigerian Army about the need to, as you fight terror, you also have to protect the civilian population and keep them on your side. We have learnt the hard way in our own counter terrorism that if you lose the trust and support of the civilian population, you’ve lost everything. So, we have had that conversation. Indeed, much of the trainings that we’ve done with your army in the U.S. has focused on that kind of thing, effective leadership and how do you operate against an enemy that is hard to identify? That mixes into the civilian population, how do you fight that kind of enemy while at the same time respecting the civilian population? I am not a military man but it strikes me that this is a very difficult thing to do.”

    On the terminated training programme, he explained: “We had at Nigeria’s request agreed to train some battalion, in my opinion, some of the best trainers in the world. The agreement was that we would provide the trainers and the Nigerian Army would provide the equipment we need to properly conduct the training  and that was agreed well ahead of time as part of our partnership. This was not something we were going to do for Nigeria; it was something we were going to do together as partners. We were able to do a bit of this and it got to a point where we were waiting for these equipment to be provided for us to finish the training, but the decision by the Nigerian government, as I understand it, was ‘no that is enough; we don’t want to finish this training’. Frankly, that was a disappointment to us given that we had provided that symbol of our commitment. As to what motivated your government, as to the reason, I don’t know. I will encourage you to put that question to them.”

      He condemned the violence in Rivers, saying: “The incident in Rivers was very sad. I condemned it, but that underlines to me why our campaign against violence is so important.

    “The U.S.’s position on the election is quite clear. For the past years, I have been talking about the importance of non-violence in the elections. I have been doing that and I have seen that the civil society and the Nigerian media have taken this up too.  I even went to one or two of Tuface’s hip-hop concert ‘Vote, not fight’ campaign. So, that is the message the United States will continue to preach, especially to urge all candidates to probably commit themselves that they will not support or engage in violence before, during and after the elections. I think that is key in any democracy.

    “It has been interesting and I am talking about politicians on both sides, the big parties, sometimes when I bring this up, their response is: ‘I won’t initiate violence myself. I abhor violence but if the other guy starts it or if I am not happy with the results, then may be.’ But, my answer to them is: ‘I’m sorry that is not a non-violence pledge.’  A non-violence pledge means you won’t do it no matter what.”

    On small arms proliferation, he said: “I think small arms proliferation is something that is difficult to control because the arms are small. They are easy to smuggle. We think that in providing NNS Thunder and Okpabana, they can gradually help against that. But they can also help against the broader issue of security in the Gulf of Guinea, which is a trans-national issue. It affects all the countries of this region. It also affects foreign investments. Oil companies want to get forward, like deep water. Security is paramount. We think it can also help Nigeria’s struggle against oil theft and (illegal) oil bunkering. It is an array of issues in relations to our broad issue of security with Nigeria.”

    He said the U.S. is helping through trainings and intelligence to find the Chibok girls, adding that kidnappings in the Northeast have continued almost daily.

    “We will stand with Nigeria to fight this terror,” he said.

  • U.S. ‘wont review’ raids policy

    U.S. ‘wont review’ raids policy

    The US will not be reviewing its operations to free Americans held by militants despite recent failures, says Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.

    US journalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie were killed by al-Qaeda in Yemen gunmen during a US-led operation on Saturday.

    Mr Hagel defended the rescue attempt, saying such raids were risky but that there was no need for a policy review.

    It was the third failed rescue attempt of a US hostage in the past six months.

    The family and friends of both men have criticised the armed raid.

    Mr Korkie was due to be freed on Sunday according to Gift of the Givers, a charity working with the South African, who said the US rescue attempt had “destroyed everything”.

    The US says the raid in southern Yemen was launched because intelligence suggested there was an immediate threat to Mr Somers’s life.

    It came three days after militants released a video of the UK-born photojournalist, saying he would be killed within 72 hours if unspecified demands were not met