US embassy cable - 05ABUJA1172

UNCLAS ABUJA 001172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, KDEM, KCOR, NI, ELECTIONS 
SUBJECT: ON DAY OF SUPREME COURT DECISION ON 2003 
ELECTIONS, POLICE STOP BUHARI SUPPORTERS, WARN OFF 
"TROUBLEMAKERS" 
 
REF: ABUJA 1153 
 
1.   With the Supreme Court due to deliver its judgment 
today, July 1, in the suit filed by 2003 ANPP 
presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari against 
the April 2003 re-election of President Olusegun 
Obasanjo, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police 
command warned yesterday that it would arrest anyone 
"coming into Abuja to foment trouble."  Police 
spokesman Emmanuel Ighodalo said in a press release 
that his men have been instructed to stop "any mass 
movement into Abuja" from yesterday. 
 
2.   Following the order, the police have increased 
their motorized patrols in the FCT, intercepting and 
questioning suspected vehicles.  Last week, an Abuja 
High Court had ruled that the 1990 Public Order Act, 
allowing the police to arrest and detain people engaged 
in peaceful assembly, was unconstitutional, and it 
voided the Act (reftel). 
 
3.   On the morning of July 1 along the Kubwa road into 
Abuja from Kaduna, three busloads of Buhari supporters 
displaying ANPP banners were intercepted by a police 
patrol team and prevented from going on to Abuja. 
 
4.   The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties 
(CNPP) announced that it would mobilize its members for 
today's Supreme Court judgment.  Osita Okechukwu, 
Assistant Secretary, said CNPP would "cash in" on the 
High Court's ruling allowing peaceful demonstrations, 
in order to stage a peaceful assembly today.  He said 
that the peaceful demonstration would either commend or 
condemn the Supreme Court ruling today, but would be 
held either way. 
 
5.   In a nationwide radio and television broadcast 
last night, President Obasanjo announced the 60 percent 
debt cancellation by the Paris Club (septel).  He also 
recounted the achievements of his administration and 
called on Nigerians to give him more support "to 
achieve more."  The broadcast has been repeated several 
times by government radio and television stations since 
its original broadcast. 
 
CAMPBELL