VZCZCXRO7053
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #1642/01 2121526
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311526Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0456
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0491
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0486
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 7526
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 001642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W - SILSKI, AYBAR, INR - SANDERS 
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: CIVIL SOCIETY PUSHES FOR ELECTORAL REFORM 
 
ABUJA 00001642  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Three months after Nigeria's deeply flawed 
elections, civil society is keeping the pressure on the new 
administration to acknowledge the failures of the 2007 
elections and reform the electoral process.  The week of July 
23, civil society held two events: (1) a citizens' electoral 
tribunal to give a public opportunity for individuals to 
testify on the electoral fraud they witnessed and how the 
system could be reformed and (2) a conference aimed at 
developing concrete recommendations for electoral reform. 
Participants at the two events highlighted, among other 
areas, the need for an independent INEC, removal of INEC's 
authority to certify candidates, stiff penalties for INEC 
officials participating in fraud, a published voter register, 
staggered state elections, democratic reform within the 
parties, and an empowered media.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE) held a 
Citizens' Electoral Tribunal on July 24-25 in Abuja.  The aim 
of the tribunal was to give ordinary citizens a public 
setting to describe the irregularities they personally 
witnessed in the 2007 elections.  In preparing for the 
tribunal, ACE employees traveled to each of Nigeria's 36 
states to interview private citizens about the election days. 
 ACE identified five individuals from each state who were 
willing to talk about the irregularities.  ACE employees 
noted that individuals in the South South (particularly in 
Bayelsa and Delta states) were very suspicious of anyone 
"from Abuja" and they found almost no one willing to talk on 
tape about what they had seen.  Following their testimony, 
each witness was asked to give their personal recommendations 
on needed reforms.  Most recommendations focused on the need 
for an independent INEC with oversight either in the National 
Assembly or by a multi-party committee and the need to 
stagger future elections to allow government, NGO and media 
resources to be focused on the state holding the elections. 
ACE plans to publish its findings and to use the 
recommendations to lobby the National Assembly. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On July 25-26, the National Democratic Institute 
(NDI), in collaboration with the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) 
and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held the All Nigeria 
Civil Society Conference on the April 2007 Elections.  The 
conference brought together members of civil society, media 
and political parties to formulate concrete proposals for 
electoral reform.  Poloffs even met representatives of INEC 
who, though they sat quietly and didn't advertise the fact 
that they were INEC employees, appeared to be taking copious 
notes.  In the opening morning of the conference, speakers 
highlighted the irregularities and shortcomings observed in 
the pre-election, election day and post-election periods. 
Recommendations will be drafted into an official communique 
for use in lobbying the National Assembly. 
 
PRE-ELECTION REFORMS 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Discussion of reform of the pre-election process 
focused on  changes within INEC, amendments to the 
Constitution and Electoral Act and reforming the political 
parties.  INEC was unanimously seen as the root of many of 
the irregularities in the April polls.  The need for an 
independent INEC, both fiscally independent and removed from 
the influence of the presidency, was a repeated theme.  It 
was suggested that the INEC budget should come directly from 
the consolidated account of the Federation, as opposed to 
being allocated by the Executive.  A rigorous selection 
process, similar to that of Chief Justice, was recommended 
for the INEC Chairman.  As well, participants noted the need 
for a well-trained, professional INEC staff capable of 
overseeing elections.  With staggered state elections, this 
well-trained staff could be deployed to oversee multiple 
elections per year.  Participants also stressed the need for 
a comprehensive and published voter registry, noting the need 
to begin the registration exercise now rather than 
immediately prior to an election. 
 
 
ABUJA 00001642  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Though much of the problem with the legislative 
basis for elections remains enforcement, participants noted 
some specific legislative changes needed.  They lamented that 
the Nigerian Constitution is too specific, necessitating 
Constitution amendments in order to amend procedures in the 
Electoral Act.  Participants called for the provision of the 
Electoral Act allowing for INEC "certification" of candidates 
to be removed.  In addition, they noted that polling hours 
should be set in the Act and that the Act should stipulate 
the exact method of publishing (including online) the voter 
registry.  Participants also recommended that the polling 
date be set for 3-6 months prior to the inauguration, to 
allow sufficient time for resolution of appeals. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Political parties were seen as the third area for 
reform in the pre-election process. Participants expressed 
frustration at the lack of internal democracy and defined 
ideologies in Nigerian political parties.  Party leaders 
should be elected in a free and fair manner and should 
involve party members in the decision making process. 
Participants recommended that parties should independently 
generate their funding through outreach to a broad membership 
base, rather than the current system of handouts from INEC or 
relying on a few wealthy individuals -- both of which provide 
an avenue for influence and manipulation by a few individuals. 
 
ELECTION DAY REFORMS 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Many of the reforms suggested for INEC in the 
pre-election period follow into election day.  The 
participants recommended a professional INEC staff oversee 
staggered state elections throughout the year.  As well, they 
recommended the institution and enforcement of stiff 
penalties for fraud, falsification of documents, or 
intimidation by those in charge of polling stations.  It was 
recommended that each polling station supervisor be held 
accountable for the authenticity of results at his polling 
station.  Despite the fact that many of these "reforms" 
already exist in Nigerian law, participants called for their 
enforcement in practice.  Participants also noted the need 
for an empowered domestic media that could announce election 
results directly from polling stations and collation centers 
as the count is completed.  This would improve transparency 
and accountability in the tabulation process. 
 
POST-ELECTION REFORMS 
--------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The NBA noted that there were 1,260 petitions filed 
before the electoral tribunals challenging the results of the 
April 14 and 21 elections.  (NOTE: Not all of these petitions 
met the documentary requirements or were accepted by the 
tribunals.)  According to the NBA, the funding received by 
the Judiciary to carry out the tribunals was only 20 percent 
of that needed and roughly amounted to USG funding to NDI and 
IRI to carry out elections support.  One participant 
recommended a clause in the constitution that would allow for 
wholesale annulment of the elections in a case where there 
were so many challenges.  Participants felt strongly that a 
group of voters (not just political parties or candidates) 
should be allowed to petition and challenge the outcome -- 
after all, it was noted, the voters are the most aggrieved 
party in bad elections.  As well, participants recommended 
that all records be deposited with the Supreme Court 
following the conclusion of elections, to prevent INEC from 
withholding or tampering with information.  Participants 
expressed concern that elected officials who knew their 
election was likely to be overturned had increased incentive 
to accumulate wealth quickly, before they could be removed 
from their new positions. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT.  Nigerian civil society has been successful 
to this point in keeping the discussion of the April 2007 
elections alive and maintaining a focus on needed reforms. 
The two events were well attended by civil society and media 
alike and could lay the foundation for a coordinated lobbying 
effort on the part of Nigerian NGOs within the National 
Assembly.  END COMMENT. 
 
ABUJA 00001642  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
QUAST