“Buhari And His Ilk Are Agents Of Destabilization” – Tinubu To USA Consul General

See the entire text below. The quote is extracted from Section 6C.

Oddly, Tinubu has turned away from his earlier summation of Buhari to virtually appoint him the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress [APC] in the 2015 presidential contest.

The question that remains for Tinubu to answer is who are Buhari’s ilks? Could he have been referring to a terrorist group?

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Source: https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/03LAGOS369_a.html

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See the entire text below – 

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000369

SIPDIS

CAIRO FOR POL – MAXSTADT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2013

TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PINR, ETRD, NI

SUBJECT: LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR’S VIEWS ON IRAQ, NATIONAL

ELECTIONS, AND AGOA

Classified By: ACG ROBYN HINSON-JONES FOR REASON 1.5 (D)

1. (C) Begin summary. Lagos State Governor Tinubu told

ConGen and DAS Bridgewater February 16 that he has asked the

Lagos State Assembly to issue a resolution declaring that no

new construction be permitted along “Embassy Row” on

Victoria Island. Tinubu assured ConGen that he will do all he

can to ensure protection of consular and diplomatic personnel

in Lagos.  He shared our view that the dispute with Iraq

relates to weapons of mass destruction, not Islam, and he is

confident that most of his co-religionists share this view.

Tinubu pledged to work closely with the legislators who will

be elected or re-elected to the National Assembly to secure

passage of a customs bill, inaction on which has prevented

Nigeria from benefiting from AGOA.  Tinubu disclosed

antipathy for President Obasanjo, but praised Vice President

Atiku Abubakar, whom he has known for many years.  End

summary.

2. (C) During a luncheon for visiting DAS Pamela Bridgewater

February 16, Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu assured

the DAS and accompanying ConGen that his office will do all

it can to ensure protection of the Consulate in the event of

war with Iraq. Tinubu added that he has asked the Lagos State

Assembly to issue a resolution declaring that no new

construction be permitted along “Embassy Row” on Victoria

Island. With a view to the longer term, he will seek the

Assembly’s approval to designate the Walter Carrington

Crescent a diplomatic zone.  Such action would help ensure

the safety and security of diplomatic missions remaining in

Lagos.

3. (C) Tinubu expressed concern about Al Queda’s nominal

designation of Nigeria among the countries that need to be

liberated from the grasp of American imperialism. Tinubu

asserted that the vast majority of his fellow Muslims are

neither sympathetic to Baghdad nor extremist Muslims.

Nigeria’s moderate Muslims have great sympathy for the

United States, he said, and they know that the issue between

Iraq and the United Nations relates to weapons of mass

destruction, not Islam.  The Governor said Al Queda’s

message was meant for agitators who might jeopardize

Nigeria’s unity and development.

4. (C) Regarding security in Nigeria, Tinubu said he expects

that even if war breaks out few people will be incited to

hold pro-Iraq or anti-US demonstrations in the southern

states, particularly Osun, Oyo and Lagos.  He said the

politicians do not want international politics to detract

from their mobilization efforts for the spring elections.

Tinubu (himself a Muslim) has been meeting with Muslim

leaders who will not support anti-US activities.  He promised

that any agitators would be “checkmated”.  The situation is

different in northern Nigeria, he said, where it is

politically expedient for moderate politicians to support

Sharia.  He expects violent demonstrations specifically in

Kano, Kaduna and Jos.

5. (C) Tinubu senses that the United States has not

maintained the momentum in its positive engagement of Islam

that it had shown shortly after September 11, 2001. Lately,

US media outlets have not shown enough concern for Muslims in

the coverage of the impending conflict with Iraq.  US

coverage of the issue has been too intellectual when it is

very emotional in the Muslim world.   This fact has given

Iraq a propaganda edge over the US.  Tinubu perceives that

the USG has not done a very good job explaining its cause to

the Muslim world either.  Most Muslims, he said, believe

President Bush is “simply finishing his father’s business.”

Even Tinubu, a staunch US supporter, doubts the validity of

the US argument.

6. (C) Turning to the presidential contest, Tinubu disclosed

that he does not like President Obasanjo because he

contributed to the end of democracy in Nigeria during his

tenure as a military president and is now benefiting from

that history.  That said, Tinubu admitted that he and his

party, the Alliance for Democracy, must support Obasanjo.

Southwest Nigeria is Yoruba land and the President is Yoruba.

Tinubu”s party had no choice since it has not fielded a

presidential candidate.  Moreover, Obasanjo is the only

candidate who stands a chance of blocking his rival, General

Muhammadu Buhari, whose ethnocentrism would jeopardize

Nigeria”s national unity.  Buhari and his ilk are agents of

destabilization who would be far worse than Obasanjo. Tinubu

and many other governors are therefore implementing a

strategy to re-elect Obasanjo, partly in an effort to prevent

Sharia from spreading. Tinubu predicted that the President

will follow his own course, if re-elected, since he will not

need as many friends the second time around.

7. (C) Tinubu praised Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he

has known for many years. Tinubu warned that former military

strongman Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and National Security

Advisor Aliyu Mohamed will try to discredit Atiku. That

effort will fail, Tinubu predicted, because Atiku has the

support of the governors and the National Assembly.

Elaborating on his knowledge of the VP, Tinubu said he has

known and understood the VP even before his entry into

politics. Atiku is a detribalized politician who knows where

he is going and how to build bridges to get there. Tinubu

expects Atiku will play a larger role in the next

presidential administration, especially in economic affairs,

while Obasasanjo will concentrate on external relations.

Atiku may also assume responsibility for other domestic

portfolios in the next administration.

8. (C) Tinubu bemoaned the fact that Nigeria is not

benefiting from the textile provisions of the Africa Growth

and Opportunity Act, and claimed partial responsibility for

this situation.  He said he had not pressed his fellow

governors to exert pressure on the national legislators for

enactment of a customs bill mandating country-of-origin

certification of inputs that might go into Nigerian textile

exports to the United States.  Since Lagos State

manufacturers could benefit substantially from the AGOA

textile provisions, Tinubu plans to press for quick passage

of the customs bill.  He believes the next legislature will

passed it soon after it convenes in late spring 2003.

9. (C) Bio comment. Tinubu is direct, articulate, and a

sharp analyst who understands accommodation.  He acknowledges

the imperative of political compromise in the game for power,

even with political actors whom he might be inclined to

denigrate. Tinubu credits his going into politics to Atiku’s

personal encouragement.  Tinubu’s admiration of Atiku

suggests that the Governor could be persuaded to play a

national role in an Atiku administration if the VP were

elected president four years hence.

10. (U) DAS Bridgewater did not clear this cable before her

departure from post.

HINSON-JONES