US embassy cable - 02ABUJA2166

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002166 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2007 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NDP OFFICIAL SUPPORTS BABANGIDA FOR 
PRESIDENT 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER. REASON 1.5 (B) and 
(D). 
 
 
1. (C) Summary. Architect Baba Isimi, Director General of the 
National Secretariat of the newly registered NDP July 1 told 
Poloff that the NDP would nominate IBB as Presidential 
candidate if given the option.  According to Isimi, the NDP 
considers itself a centrist party, touting a new generation 
of politicians who represent ideology over personality. Isimi 
failed to see the inconsistency between this avowal and his 
support for the Faustian Babangida. Claiming the need for 
more time to prepare, the party will canvas to postpone local 
government elections until December 2002.  End Summary. 
 
 
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Party Background and Philosophy 
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2. (C) The National Democratic Party (NDP) was one of three 
new political parties to be registered in Nigeria June 22 
(septel).  Poloff met Isimi, of the National Democratic 
Party, July 1 in order to learn about the new party.  Isimi 
explained the NDP was borne out of dissatisfaction with the 
People's Democratic Party (PDP) and particularly President 
Obasanjo.  According to Isimi, Obasanjo was not part of the 
original PDP. Rather, when he was freed from prison a deal 
was cut to impose Obasanjo on the party. (Note: What Isimi 
forgot to add was that Babangida was an important architect 
of that deal. End Note).  Out of the disgruntled PDP 
membership emerged first the Arewa Frontiers, which became 
the National Frontiers.  The National Frontiers then split 
into the NDP and the UNDP (now the UNPP). The NDP considers 
itself a moderate party, open to dialogue with all regions of 
Nigeria. 
 
 
3. (U) Asked what the NDP had to offer as an opposition 
party, Isimi replied that the party has a strong ideological 
base rather than one based on personalities.  He believes 
that Nigeria should realize that it needs help and should 
find a "national mentor" to emulate. (Note: In subsequent 
conversation it was clearer that he thinks Nigeria should 
find a rich uncle. End Note) Isimi described himself and his 
party as the new generation of Nigerian politicians, who have 
spent their entire lives in the post-colonial era. 
 
 
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Candidates 
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4. (C) When asked about the differences between the NDP and 
the United Nigerian People's Party (UNPP), Isimi stated the 
UNPP wants IBB as their candidate. The NDP, on the other 
hand, is sympathetic toward IBB and believes it has his 
goodwill, but reiterated that the NDP is a party of ideals 
rather than personalities.  He continued by stating that if 
IBB chose the NDP, the NDP would accept him as its candidate. 
 He believes that IBB will emerge as the consensus candidate 
of the North and that he has the political savvy to win the 
election and lead the country.  Isimi also believes that 
IBB's main priority is not to become President, but to remove 
Obasanjo from Aso Rock; contesting his run for a second term 
may be the only way to accomplish this. 
 
 
5. (C) On other candidates Isimi considers Vice-President 
Abubakar worse than President Obasanjo, and declared Anyim 
was too "stupid" to become President. He believes a Buhari 
candidacy is also destined to fail. In order to get the ANPP 
nomination, Buhari needs to have an ally capture the ANPP 
chairmanship, which he thinks unlikely.  In some quarters 
Buhari has a reputation for being against corruption; 
however, there are many who haven't forgotten that they 
suffered from Buhari's fight against corruption and still 
bear a grudge. 
 
 
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Comment 
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6. (C) The rhetoric of the NDP is, to put it charitably, 
interesting and a bit confusing.  Perhaps most honestly put, 
it is simply pragmatic.  Isimi is articulate, intelligent and 
excited to be among the members of a new party that will 
contest in the 2003 elections. However, his attempt to paint 
himself and his party as a fresh start fell flat. While 
disavowing the politics of personality and exalting ideology, 
on the one hand, he openly tugged at Babangida's coattails 
with the other. Isimi seemed unaware of the contradiction 
presented by touting IBB as the NDP's preferred candidate. 
Likewise, he didn't appear to appreciate the irony when he 
talked about the NDP's plans for a convention. He stated that 
there would be no convention for three years, because "you 
can see from the other parties, what a destabilizing effect 
intra-party elections have." 
 
 
 
 
JETER