US embassy cable - 04ABUJA553

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, NI, AID 
SUBJECT: KANO STATE GOVERNOR ON POLIO, ELECTIONS 
 
REF: 03 ABUJA 1955 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Charge Roberts took advantage of Kano 
Governor Ibrahim Shekarau's applying for a U.S. visa to meet 
with him on March 30 about the polio vaccination campaign in 
Kano.  The Charge said to Shekarau that the polio vaccination 
campaign is a major concern outside Nigeria, as well as 
inside.  Shekarau noted that he had been in charge of polio 
vaccinations when a civil servant years ago, and he was now 
making progress on getting the GON to buy new, 
non-contaminated vaccine.  "Vaccinations would be morally 
wrong unless we convince people" that we have safe vaccine. 
Shekarau also told the Charge that his party had won 32 of 37 
declared results in Kano's local government elections March 
27.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) Shekarau said the issue now is a need to disabuse 
the population of wrong ideas.  Nigeria's Federal Government 
had been wrong in saying the vaccines were not contaminated, 
and progress will be made as the Federal Government's 
scientists and those he appointed explain that the level of 
contaminants is too low to damage the citizens' health. 
Shekarau noted that he had appointed a committee of local 
scientists who were well known and trusted by the people of 
Kano to test the vaccine.  When they found the contamination, 
he said, he sent a request to the Minister of Health that the 
GON either disprove the contamination or stop using the 
vaccine.  Shekarau claimed the government did neither at 
first, but now admitted the contamination and was working 
with his scientists to show how the contamination was not a 
meaningful amount. 
 
3. (SBU) Shekarau said "We need psychological warfare to 
prove to people that the contaminated vaccine will not be 
used."  The Governor claimed he was making progress getting 
the GON to get new vaccine from Indonesia through UNICEF. 
Once the old vaccines were thrown away and the new vaccines 
made available, he believed the program could move forward. 
When the Charge asked if only Indonesian-produced vaccine 
would suffice, Shekarau said, "People will not care if the 
second dose was made in France, as long as the first dose is 
from a safe place."  It is a matter of confidence, Shekarau 
continued, and justice must be seen to be done. 
 
4. (SBU) DCM interjected that polio is spreading, that it had 
gone from 6 states in Nigeria to 24 and to neighboring 
countries during the ban on vaccinations.  If Kano received 
new vaccines from Indonesia, would they use it?  Shekarau 
said the important thing was that Kano participate in the 
process of getting them.  His administration was enjoying a 
lot of trust from the people, and he had good control over 
the community.  "But there must be new vaccine in order to 
convince the people that the contamination is insignificant; 
if you insist it is not there, nobody will believe you." 
 
5. (SBU) The Charge noted that the vaccination ban in Kano is 
being perceived as having religious overtones.  Shekarau said 
the ban has nothing to do with Islam, a religion of 
cleanliness and progress.  The issue was keeping public 
trust.  Shekarau explained that he had banned the polio 
vaccinations in order to separate that issue from other 
vaccinations, to keep public fears of contaminated polio 
vaccine from causing the public to stop other kinds of 
vaccinations.  "Some people say we are against polio 
vaccination to make political gains, but I would rather leave 
office than make political gains."  Shekarau said he was "in 
the forefront of a crusade to get religion out of politics." 
Good governance was important, but mischievous people used 
religion to cover their corrupt practices. 
 
6. (SBU) In response to a question from the DCM, Shekarau 
said it would not matter if ANPP presidential candidate 
Buhari had campaigned in favor of the vaccinations.  Buhari 
was beloved in Kano, but his support was based on being 
transparent.  If Buhari tried to convince people without 
giving reasons, he would not succeed.  Kano was a politically 
sophisticated community, Shekarau continued, where people 
asked questions. 
 
7. (SBU) Shekarau stressed not adding to controversy.  The 
longer you take trying to say the vaccine is not 
contaminated, the longer it will take to resolve the problem 
-- years, he said.  Shekarau said he had tried to keep the 
controversy out of the press.  He had gone to the science 
professionals in his committee because he wanted to be 
transparent.  His scientists had been careful to stop at 
saying the vaccine was contaminated but not explain that the 
amounts were insignificant to health, Shekarau insisted, in 
order to avoid generating controversy.  For similar reasons 
he had tried to keep the controversy out of the press. 
 
8. (SBU) COMMENT:  Shekarau felt a watershed was reached last 
Thursday with the meeting of Kano stakeholders and the 
Federal Government when the GON agreed that there was 
contamination.  There is still disagreement on levels of 
significance to do harm.  But if the GON provides "fresh" 
vaccine, Kano is prepared to use it.  He feels this is "lots 
of progress."  He has talked to the Federal officials who say 
they are getting in a new consignment of vaccine from 
Indonesia.  He wants Kano professionals involved in the 
procurement and monitoring process so that people will have 
confidence in the new vaccine.  It would solve the problem of 
credibility.  He has been in correspondence with Kofi Annan 
and also talked with UN Representative Gambari yesterday by 
phone.  Shekarau said Gambari gave him assurance that if 
Shekarau concludes his plans for Indonesian vaccine, the UN 
is prepared to fund.  Shekarau claims the people of Kano are 
more concerned than anyone that this matter be resolved 
because they are the ones living with polio.  END COMMENT. 
 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS 
 
9. (SBU) Shekarau said his administration had won public 
trust, and 32 of the 37 Local Government Area (LGA) elections 
in his state on March 27.  Figures for one more LGA had not 
been released, elections had been postponed in three other 
LGAs and by-elections would be needed in three more where 
there were problems in the election.  He had worked hard to 
promote attitudinal change, especially to reverse the trend 
of governors being seen only as dispensers of contracts.  His 
(PDP) predecessor had fired teachers to have money for road 
contracts; he had hired new teachers.  There was a crisis of 
confidence across Nigeria and he wanted to get rid of 
corruption and change society's orientation. 
ROBERTS