US embassy cable - 05ABUJA1498

UNCLAS ABUJA 001498 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, PINR, OIIP, OPRC, KDEM, NI 
SUBJECT: INEC'S FEATHERS RUFFLED, THEN SMOOTHED, AFTER 
NEWSPAPER ATTRIBUTES ANONYMOUS COMMENTS TO EMBASSY 
 
 
1.   Summary:  In an August 8 front page article, a 
Nigerian newspaper printed an article highly critical 
of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 
Chairman Maurice Iwu.  The article claimed to be based 
on comments from an anonymous US Embassy source.  Both 
INEC and the USAID-funded NGO working with INEC to 
improve capacity, the International Federation for 
Election Systems (IFES), contacted the Embassy with 
concerns about the article, and we assured them that 
there was no Embassy source for the article.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.   An IFES officer called the Embassy on the evening 
of August 8 to seek clarification on an article printed 
in the Nigerian Tribune that day.  The IFES officer 
advised that both IFES and INEC were upset by the 
article.  (Note:  IFES receives USAID funding to build 
capacity at INEC.  End Note.) 
 
3.   Because that newspaper, based in Ibadan, has a 
regional focus and a reputation as a tabloid, the POL 
section does not receive it, but Poloff located the 
article online at 
"http://www.tribune.com.ng/080805/news01.htm" .  The 
article claimed that an anonymous "competent source 
within the US Embassy in Nigeria" had said the U.S. was 
suspicious of Iwu and INEC, and had "directed" the EU 
and other countries to monitor INEC more closely. 
 
4.   Poloff assured the IFES officer that no Embassy 
official had made any such remarks to the Nigerian 
Tribune or to any other journalist.  The IFES officer 
accepted Poloff's explanation.  He said that INEC 
Chairman Iwu would shortly be leaving for Washington on 
a previously planned trip to meet with State and USAID 
officials, and that Iwu was still upset about the 
article. 
 
5.   As Poloff attempted to call Iwu, the Embassy 
received a letter from Steve Osemeke, INEC's Public 
Affairs Director, objecting to the remarks attributed 
to the anonymous Embassy official, and requesting that 
we "speak on the status of the story."  Osemeke called 
Poloff, and when he learned that Poloff was trying to 
call Iwu, Osemeke gave Poloff Iwu's private office 
number. 
 
6.   Poloff spoke with INEC Chairman Iwu for about five 
minutes.  Iwu insisted that if the Embassy had said 
these things, it would "poison" the solid relationship 
that INEC, IFES, and USAID currently enjoy.  Poloff 
assured Iwu that no Embassy official had made these 
remarks to any journalist.  When Poloff apologized for 
the confusion caused by the situation, Iwu broke the 
tension by laughing and telling Poloff not to worry: 
"it's not your fault, or your Embassy."  He requested 
that the Embassy reply in writing to Osemeke's letter, 
and Poloff agreed.  Iwu said he was looking forward to 
his U.S. trip and had lived in the U.S. for some ten 
years when he was younger. 
 
7.   Comment:  It is possible that the Nigerian Tribune 
article is the latest shot in a feud between Iwu and a 
former leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance 
(APGA) party over a report INEC had prepared on APGA's 
finances that led to the APGA leader's ouster.  Then 
again, it is also possible that the Nigerian Tribune 
was simply seeking a sensational headline to sell a few 
more copies.  End Comment. 
 
CAMPBELL