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U.S. insists on monitoring democracy in Nigeria
TOP officials of the United States government have re-affirmed America's interest in Nigeria's democracy.
The U.S. decision came against the background of a recent warning by Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, special assistant to the President on Public Affairs, that Washington should steer clear of Nigeria's political engineering.
Fani-Kayode accused America of reacting to a hypothetical situation on the alleged third term bid of President Obasanjo.
But the U.S. Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mike Cohen, insisted that America would continue to watch the political situation in the country.
Speaking with The Guardian on phone from Washington yesterday, Cohen said his recent comments on the alleged third term bid were to clear the misgivings about the position of the U.S. on the alleged third term bid.
Nigeria's Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, had accused the Western power of backing Obasanjo's third term bid because of the gains they derive from the economic reforms of the current administration.
Cohen stated that more than any other country, his country worked tirelessly to ensure the return of democracy to Nigeria.
According to him, apart from imposing economic sanctions on Nigeria and placing a travelling ban on some of the leaders who stalled democracy in Nigeria, American officials suffered untold hardship from the then military government.
Cohen recalled how the former American Ambassador, Walter Carrington was harassed by security agents for helping the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), an umbrella body that fought the military junta of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
Carrington also helped to persuade the leadership of Afenifere to participate in the transition to give it credibility in 1999.
In fact, Carrington alongside Senator Abraham Adesanya, Ayo Adebanjo, Solanke Onasanya, the late Bola Ige, Ayo Opadokun among others were tear-gassed by the police at the Surulere home of the late Onasanya.
Justifying America's interest in the survival of Nigeria's democracy, Cohen said that the United States attached so much importance to peace and stability in Nigeria.
Besides, Cohen noted that in as much as America would not want to dabble in the internal affairs of Nigeria, his country would ensure Nigeria's compliance with the rule of law. This, he said, would strengthen democracy and its structures.
While calling on Nigerians and their leaders to ensure the survival of democracy, the American official noted that there was no alternative to this political system.
Reminded that Obasanjo had not indicated his interest in a third term, Cohen said that from the history of Nigeria, especially in the last 10 years, it was a country where anything could happen. To him, the issue is not whether Obasanjo has spoken or not, it is rather whether the system is not being used to promote such an agenda.
His words: "The same drama also played itself out during Abacha with the political parties adopting a serving general to the surprise of the entire world. So, America does not want to take chance."
Reminded that Fani-Kayode had warned on the need for the U.S. to steer clear of Nigeria's politics, Cohen compared him to the former Iraqi Information Minister, Tahir Aziz, who enjoyed propaganda.
"Even at a time Bagdad, the Iraqi capital, fell to the Allied Forces, Aziz was still lying to the people; that is what the presidential spokesman is doing," he said.
But he praised Obasanjo's anti-corruption war, which he described as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
To him, if corruption is tamed in Nigeria, the nation will be on its journey to greatness..
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