US embassy cable - 02ABUJA3351

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 003351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR AF/W AND EB/TPP 
GENEVA PASS USTR 
STATE PASS USTR FOR PCOLEMAN 
COMMERCE FOR ITA MAC 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2012 
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, PINR, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON MINISTER OF 
COMMERCE NGELELE 
 
 
REF: COLEMAN/KRZYWDA EMAIL 12/17/02 
 
 
Classified by CDA Timothy D. Andrews; Reason 1.5 (d). 
 
 
1. (C) Precious Ngelele is a native of Rivers State. A former 
Abuja Poloff believes Ngelele is a U.S. citizen. We know he 
lived in the United States for many years before returning to 
Nigeria in 1999. Poloff reports Ngelele is divorced or 
separated from a U.S.-citizen spouse, with whom he had 
several children. Ngelele currently lives in Abuja with a 
women from a South-South ethnic group who is not permitted to 
marry because of her position in a royal family. (Note: 
Ngelele's Nigerian colleagues may not be aware that he is a 
U.S. citizen. The 1999 Constitution of the Republic of 
Nigeria requires that ministers and other GON officials hold 
Nigerian citizenship only. End Note.) 
 
 
2. (C) At one point Ngelele may have supported President 
Obasanjo's top opponent for the 1999 PDP presidential 
nomination, Alex Ekueme, but in the end he backed Obasanjo 
and after the election was named Minister of State for Water 
Resources. Post has been unable to obtain additional 
information on Minister Ngelele's pre-1999 educational or 
professional background. 
 
 
3. (C) The former Poloff reports that Ngelele has a low-key 
personality and is well disposed to the United States. 
ANDREWS