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011542Z Feb 06

UNCLAS ABUJA 000236 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR PA/OBS/BS, GSANTULLI 
AF/PD FOR PZABRISKIE, 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OPRC OIIP CVIS
SUBJECT: TV CO-OP PROPOSAL FOR NIGERIA 
 
REF: STATE 210798 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The U.S. Mission to Nigeria would like to 
propose a TV co-op on "Democratic Elections: Lessons from 
2006 US Mid-Term Elections."  This co-op will be done by 
four persons Independent Radio and Television crew of Lagos- 
based Africa Independent Television (AIT), and Kano-based 
Freedom Radio.  AIT is the most-popular Nigerian private TV 
station with international satellite license and broadcasts 
to the US and other African countries, while Freedom Radio 
is the largest private radio station in Northern Nigeria 
with liberal editorial policy and a large Muslim and Hausa- 
speaking youth audience.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  The 2007 elections will be a test for the survival of 
Nigeria's democracy.  Competition for elected political 
offices has expanded since the Military left the stage in 
1999 with 30 political parties now registered.  The 2003 
elections at the local state and federal levels were 
characterized by violence due to widespread voting 
irregularities as well as procedural flaws, particularly in 
collating and counting votes. The ruling party won and 
efforts by the opposition to challenge the results were 
unsuccessful.  The recent attempts to circumvent 
constitutional term limits is heating up and posing a 
serious challenges to a smooth democratic transition in 
¶2007. 
 
¶3.  The target audience would be "average" Nigerians who are 
just beginning to understand their rights and roles in a 
transparent, democratic society; those with some high school 
or college education, those under age 45, those working as 
civil servants in state and local governments and generally 
those with enough income to purchase and read newspapers 
occasionally or watch television news regularly, and those 
with little or no education who listen to radio news 
programs regularly in either English or Hausa language and 
through that, able to form opinions and influence decisions. 
This is not the "A" list of society, but rather the majority 
of Nigerians who can make a difference in a truly democratic 
setting where the government is really accountable to the 
people. 
 
¶4.  We envision the TV co-op program focusing on the 2006 US 
Mid-Term elections; issues; electioneering campaign 
processes; and events reflecting broad-based participatory 
democracy.  It will emphasize how issues shape voters 
decisions and why those decisions expressed by their ballots 
should be respected.  The Coop will also emphasize the 
importance of transparency in governance and peaceful 
processes for changing corrupt leaders through the ballot 
boxes.  This TV Co-op will emphasize that elections at other 
levels such as state legislatures and the congress are as 
important as the Presidential election.  The coop will 
explore how issues are addressed in the U.S.  Post believes 
that the TV Coop could provide valuable lessons learned for 
Nigeria's 2007 elections.  Such a program would link 
directly to the Mission MPP goal of democracy and 
governance. 
 
 
¶6.  We propose four crew members, three TV crew members from 
the AIT, and one Radio reporter from the Freedom Radio, Kano 
for the TV Co-op. 
 
¶7.  PAS Information Officer, Rudolph Stewart is the Mission 
point of contact (e-mail: StewartRE@state.gov, telephone 
numbers: office-234-9-461-4202; home 234 -9-314-3862 and 
mobile 234-803-665-1240. Please also CC PAO Lagos Atim 
Eneida George (e-mail GeorgeAE@state.gov on subsequent 
cables and e-mail responses. 
 
 
CAMPBELL