VZCZCXRO0843
PP RUEHMA
DE RUEHUJA #0747/01 1091540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191540Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9234
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0257
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0253
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 6636
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
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 02 ABUJA 000747 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DRL, AF/W 
DOL FOR SUDHA DALEY 
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ELAB NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS AND LABOR GROUPS SPEAK OUT ON 4/14 
ELECTIONS 
 
REF: ABUJA 725 AND PREVIOUS 
 
ABUJA 00000747  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Strong public statements were issued on 
April 17  by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and on April 
18 jointly by the two predominant Muslim and Christian 
organizations (the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic 
Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria 
(CAN)).  Both statements urge the GoN to reverse unfair 
decisions in the April 14 state elections and to take steps 
necessary to ensure improvements before the April 21 
Presidential and National Assembly elections.  As well, both 
statements applaud the independence of the Supreme Court in 
issuing its April 16 judgment against INEC's disqualification 
of candidates and the professionalism of the media.  Both 
include an appeal to Nigerians to use peaceful means to 
defend their right to vote, with the NLC statement calling on 
Nigerians to peacefully protest.  As well, the NLC statement 
includes a firm warning to the GoN that a repeat of April 14 
problems "may spell doom for the country."  END SUMMARY. 
 
The NLC Statement 
----------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a strong public statement issued April 17, the 
NLC called the "manipulation and massive electoral fraud" of 
April 14 a "source of major national crisis," claiming the 
state elections will be remembered as the most massively 
rigged in Nigerian history.  The statement explicitly states 
that the NLC "considers the April 14 elections not/not to 
have been free and fair."  It calls on the GoN and INEC to 
reverse "all decisions that have upturned the will of the 
people" and demands redress in all cases of rigging and 
injustice.  "Clear manipulations and fraud" are noted in 
Anambra, Adamawa, Edo, Enugu, Delta, Kogi, Imo and Ondo 
states.  The NLC places blame for the failure of the 
elections on the Presidency, INEC, Army, SSS and police. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The NLC statement calls on the Nigerian people to 
use "all peaceful means at their disposal, including 
protests, to defend their votes and protect their mandate." 
In urging the GoN to ensure that all eligible candidates are 
on the April 21 ballot, the statement explicitly "warns" that 
attempts to repeat the problems of April 14 will "spell doom 
for the country."   It praises the independence of the 
judiciary and, in particular, the April 16th Supreme Court 
decision that INEC cannot disqualify candidates, and urges 
the judiciary to remain steadfast in dispensing with all 
electoral cases.  As well, the statement thanks the media for 
its forthrightness and professionalism. 
 
The Joint Muslim/Christian Statement 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) In a joint statement titled "A Betrayed Trust," 
NSCIA and CAN expressed their displeasure with what they 
termed "INEC's cocktail of misrepresentation."  Citing 
"massive subversion of the people's will through a 
collaboration of agents of state and gangs masquerading as 
the ruling party," the two organizations called for the 
reversal of results in ten states: Anambra, Adamawa, Edo, 
Enugu, Delta, Ondo, Rivers, Imo, Kogi, and Nasarawa.  They 
noted that the experiences of 1983 and 2003 were "replayed 
with more impunity displayed."  The two religious 
organizations described the two most disturbing problems as 
the absence of a credible voters register and the scarcity of 
results tally sheets.  In previous elections, they note, the 
tally sheets have been the central evidence for those seeking 
redress in election tribunals.  Despite the lack of tally 
sheets for some polling stations, the two groups maintain 
these same sheets "surfaced at collation centers and INEC 
state headquarters respectively at the close of the day's 
polls." 
 
 
ABUJA 00000747  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) While noting that in some areas the police and 
security personnel were friendly and attentive, the NSCIA and 
CAN also noted a high level of "raw and naked force" designed 
to intimidate voters.  They applauded the mass media for its 
patriotism and professionalism, as well as the Supreme Court 
for its independence in delivering its April 16 decision on 
INEC's disqualification of candidates.  The statement calls 
on NSCIA and CAN followers to "be steadfast in the discharge 
of their civic responsibility by voting in Saturday's 
national elections while eternal vigilance must be sustained 
to ensure their mandate is not so crudely and primitively 
taken away." 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT.  These two public statements reflect the 
high level of frustration with the April 14 polls.  Despite a 
nationwide ban on protests, the NLC statement explicitly 
calls for protests and both documents call on Nigerians to 
defend their vote and their mandate.  How much momentum these 
calls pick up and what the reaction of the Nigerian people 
will be to Saturday's national elections will depend to a 
great extent on public perceptions of the level of rigging. 
If improvements are not seen between the April 14 and the 
April 21 elections, we can expect even stronger statements 
after April 21 and possibly action on the part of Nigerians. 
Whether that action will continue in the form of the serious, 
sporadic violence experienced thus far, or escalate into 
something more remains to be seen.  END COMMENT. 
CAMPBELL