VZCZCXYZ7943
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUJA #0408/01 0630959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030959Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2235
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0192
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 8854
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS ABUJA 000408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA 
STATE PASS TO USTR-AGAMA 
DOE FOR GPERSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON PHUM EPET ETRD KDEM ELAB KIRF NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: POL/ECON UPDATES FOR FEB 15-29, 2008 
 
REF: A. ABUJA 
     ¶B. LAGOS 70 
 
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (U) Following is a joint Embassy Abuja-ConGen Lagos 
compilation of February 15-29, 2008 political/economic 
highlights, which did not feature in our other reporting, 
covering: 
-- Elections: Tribunals, Reforms, Party Politics 
-- Niger Delta 
-- Human Rights, Labor, TIP 
-- Economic News 
-- Oil and Gas 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
ELECTIONS: TRIBUNALS, REFORMS, PARTY POLITICS 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) Adamawa: On February 26 the Court of Appeals upheld 
the decision of the Adamawa election tribunal and nullified 
the election of Governor Nyako (PDP).  The appellate court 
ordered Nyako to vacate office; the Speaker of the State 
House of Assembly has been sworn in as acting governor 
pending a fresh election, now scheduled for April 12. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Katsina: Although President Yar'Adua prevailed at 
his own tribunal February 26, his son-in-law Badamasi Kabir, 
who is a member of the House of Representatives, was not so 
lucky.  The election of Representative Kabir (PDP, Katsina) 
was annulled February 27 by the Katsina election tribunal on 
grounds that the election had not been carried out in 
substantial compliance with the electoral act (another 
Yar'Adua son-in-law had his election as Kebbi governor 
annulled last October).  However, Kabir told Polspecialist 
that, in addition to exercising his right to appeal the 
verdict, there were behind the scenes moves underway to 
strike a "compromise" between him and the petitioners. 
 
¶4. (U) After first winning at their state election tribunals, 
Governors Mamman Ali (ANPP) of Yobe State and David Jang 
(PDP) of Plateau State also had their elections upheld by the 
Court of Appeals February 26.  (Note:  Gov. Ali still faces a 
legal challenge from Al-Bishir, another ANPP governorship 
aspirant who claims he rightfully won the party's nomination. 
 Al-Bishir has lost his case in lower courts, but has vowed 
to appeal to the Supreme Court.) 
 
¶5. (U) Benue: The ruling PDP has had a difficult time at the 
state's Election Tribunal.  The elections of all three of 
Benue's Senators have now been overturned, including that of 
Senate President David Mark (ref A) and five members of the 
House of Representatives and many members of the Benue State 
House of Assembly, including the Speaker, have also lost at 
tribunal.   The nullifications of the elections of all these 
PDP officials were made on grounds of irregularities in the 
April 2007 elections, but in each case the legislators have 
appealed the verdicts. 
 
¶6. (U) Akwa Ibom: The Court of Appeal on February 18 upheld 
the state Election Tribunal's ruling in favor of the sitting 
governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio (PDP).  The 
Election Tribunal rejected the All Nigeria People's Party 
(ANPP) petition on the grounds that the application was 
incomplete and not signed by all petitioners. 
 
¶7. (U) The Osun State Election Tribunal rejected Action 
Congress (AC) governorship candidate Rauf Aregbesola's 
request to call a forensic expert as one of his witnesses. 
The tribunal held that the candidate's lawyer had not offered 
the expert, who had reviewed the election materials, at the 
time the materials were submitted to the tribunal by Governor 
Oyinlola and INEC, nor did the candidate inform the court 
during pre-trial motions of his intent to call the witness. 
(Note: The Ekiti tribunal did allow the testimony of a 
forensic expert.  End note) 
 
¶8. (U) An Oyo State High Court judge asked to be removed from 
a 2006 case in which Oyo State godfather Lamidi Adedibu (PDP) 
is alleged to have hired thugs to intimidate witnesses during 
the impeachment proceedings against former governor Rashidi 
Ladoja.  The judge claimed that, because his brother is a 
member of the PDP, he would not be able to remain objective 
in judging the case. 
 
¶9. (U) The same Lamidi Adedibu was selected as a delegate for 
the upcoming People's Democratic Party convention by the 
Ibadan South-West local council of the party.  Parallel 
congresses were held in Ibadan by the Adedibu faction and a 
faction opposed to Adedibu's control of the party.  Each 
congress produced its own slate of candidates. 
 
¶10. (U) A federal appeals court on February 19 set aside the 
verdict of the Anambra State Election Tribunal which ruled in 
favor of a petition filed by nine opposition candidates in 
the matter of the election of former presidential advisor 
Andy Uba (PDP) as governor.  The court ruled that the 
tribunal exceeded its authority by nullifying both the 
election and inauguration of Uba on the basis of the Supreme 
Court decision reinstating Governor Peter Obi.   The appeals 
court stated that the tribunal should have ruled on the 
merits of the petition, then declare that their own ruling 
had been overtaken by the Supreme Court ruling. The judgment 
has set the stage for Uba's claim that he should take up the 
position of Governor when Obi's tenure ends in March 2010. 
 
----------- 
NIGER DELTA 
----------- 
¶11. (U) Broadcast stations reported on February 27 the 
kidnapping of the wife and children of an Elf-Total manager 
in Port Harcourt. They were reportedly kidnapped while 
departing church; the abductors are demanding naira 80 
million ($700,000).  The nationalities of the kidnap victims 
are unknown. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Special Assistant to former Rivers Governor 
Peter Odili was reportedly kidnapped on February 24.  He was 
abducted outside his church in Port Harcourt, Rivers, 
according to security sources. Press reports suggest his 
kidnappers demanded naira 50 million ($425,000) for his 
release. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Security sources claim an AGIP manager kidnapped 
outside his residence in Port Harcourt on February 20 was 
released the following day. 
 
¶14. (U) The release of Mrs. Lulu-Briggs, wife of a PDP 
chieftain and business mogul, on February 7 was immediately 
followed by the kidnapping of Professor Anah, former Provost 
of the College of Health and Sciences, University of Port 
Harcourt, in Rivers State. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Comment: These kidnappings remind us of the rampant 
criminality in Rivers State and, despite Governor Amaechi's 
purported efforts to improve security (ref B), unrest 
continues. However, the frequency and number of these 
kidnappings may bring pressure to bear on the Governor. End 
Comment. 
 
--------------------------------- 
HUMAN RIGHTS, LABOR, AND REFUGEES 
--------------------------------- 
¶16. (U) According to media reports, between 15 and 50 people 
may have been killed by policemen in Adavi Local Government 
Area, Kogi State between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27.  The violence 
reportedly started Feb. 24 when during an industrial dispute 
"local hoodlums" attacked the police, killing two officers, 
injuring three others, and abducting a police corporal.  The 
police combed the area on Feb. 25 to search for their 
abducted colleague, but they reportedly also committed 
reprisal attacks on the local community, burning houses and 
vehicles and allegedly killing members of the community. 
 
¶17. (U) In a report released February 25, Amnesty 
International called Nigeria's prisons a "national scandal." 
The human rights group explained that only 35% of Nigerian 
inmates have been convicted in court and that many prisoners 
wait decades to face trial.  Poor prison conditions and 
severe overcrowding exacerbate the situation.  Amnesty says 
that there are about 700 prisoners on death row in Nigeria, 
some of whom were convicted by the Sharia courts.  More than 
200 of the death row inmates have been awaiting death for 
over ten years. 
 
¶18. (SBU) The head of the Islamic Network for Development 
(IND), Lai Olurode, told Poloffs that his group seeks to 
empower women, provide microfinance opportunities, and boost 
employment and community well-being throughout the Southwest. 
 IND offers assistance and works through local NGOs helping 
IND secure the communities' trust in their activities. 
Olurode has worked with NGOs to improve employment options 
through cottage industries. 
 
¶19. (SBU) Olurode warned religious inequality could be a 
problem for Nigeria, especially as it relates to access to 
education and employment.  He claims he knows of a Muslim 
doctor refused a job (after having been approved on paper) 
because she showed up to work veiled.  Olurode thought 
inter-religious issues, especially at private universities, 
could "explode." 
 
------------- 
ECONOMIC NEWS 
------------- 
¶20. (U) A Chinese shipping company has expressed interest in 
building a $12 billion seaport at the Olokola free trade zone 
between Ondo and Ogun states.  Chinese Oversea Shipping 
Company (COSCO) is to build the port on a Build Own Operate 
and Transfer (BOOT) basis with a 40 year lease.  A Memorandum 
of Understanding (MoU) between the two states and a 
consortium of the African Finance Corporation and Western 
Metal Product Company was signed in Hong Kong in December 
¶2007.  If the project proceeds, it would be one of the 
largest port and trade investments in western Africa. 
 
¶21. (U) Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange, said 
Nigeria has an alarming rate of 800 to 1500 maternal deaths 
per 100,000 live births as well as neonatal deaths of 48 to 
¶1000.  She stated that lives of many children could be saved 
each year if they were reached by preventive and curative 
interventions.  The Minister noted that it is important to 
focus on the importance of girl-child education to reduce 
maternal and neonatal deaths and to ensure optimal health for 
mothers and newborns.  She added that a comprehensive 
home-grown mother and child care incentive must be 
articulated and driven by public-private partnership. 
 
¶22. (U) The Lagos State government has withdrawn a 2.7 
trillion naira (approximately $23 billion) lawsuit against 
six tobacco companies, filed to recoup costs associated with 
treating tobacco-related illnesses.  Defendants included 
Phillip Morris and British American Tobacco.  The suit was 
claiming costs for 40 years' worth of "injuries and losses 
resulting from the defendants' negligence or breach of duty." 
 Several of the companies named still face federal level 
suits, as well as suits in two other states. 
 
--------- 
PETROLEUM 
--------- 
¶23. (U) The Senate Committee on Petroleum asked that an 
arrest warrant be issued for the Group Managing Director of 
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Engineer Abubakar 
Yar,Adua (no relation to the President) for allegedly 
frustrating the committee in carrying out its oversight 
functions.  Chairman of the committee, Senator Lee Ledogo 
Maeba, in a letter to the Inspector General of Police Mike 
Okiro, requested that the IG compel Yar,Adua to appear 
before the committee. 
 
¶24. (SBU) The truck drivers strike against contractors 
employed by Chevron Oil Nigeria continues.  Chevron reports 
that 244 of its 360 retail gas stations are without fuel. 
The company is trying to find a work around to resume 
deliveries.  The strike began after Chevron suspended a 
trucking contractor for unsafe practices.  Almost all of 
Chevron's refined supplies are trucked across the country 
from its import terminal in Lagos. 
SANDERS