Worried by Nigeria’s reluctance to support America’s plan to locate an African Command of the U.S. military in the Gulf of Guinea, President George W. Bush has asked Umar Musa Yar’adua to visit the White House on December 13.
Sources close to the planned meeting told Saharareporters that President Bush wants to pressure Yar’adua to reverse Nigeria’s opposition to AFRICOM.
Bush is planning to tell Yar’adua that the international cloud of illegitimacy hanging over his government would be a thing of the past if the Nigerian plays to the American script.
U.S. diplomat Mr. Negroponte delivered Bush’s summons to Yar’adua during the American’s recent visit to Nigeria. The two parties then agreed on December 13 as a suitable date for Yar’adua’s visit. Yar'adua will visit the US after another sojourn to Portugal for reasons that weren't disclosed to Saharareporters.
Not only is Yar'adua opposed to the location of the U.S. military command in the Gulf of Guinea, he has also seriously lobbied smaller African governments, especially those of Liberia and Equatorial Guinea, to reject the deal.
Piqued by Yar’adua’s opposition, the U.S. government is reportedly seeking to exploit the Nigerian’s political vulnerability to push him towards accepting the command.
A source told Saharareporters that, apart from the AFRICOM issue, the two leaders are set to discuss the subterranean moves to maneuver General Ibrahim Babangida (ret.) into place as Yar’adua’s successor-in-waiting in the event of a judicial cancellation of the April elections or Yar’adua’s incapacitation on health grounds.
Yar’adua is expected to sell Babangida as a candidate who is likely to protect U.S. corporate and geo-political interests.
In a related development, a source has told Saharareporters that General Babangida’s recent criticism of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s policies was a gimmick calculated to give the Nigerian public the impression that a rift exists between the two men.
Saharareporters earlier revealed an ongoing political plan, sponsored by Obasanjo, to install Babangida as Nigeria’s “elected” president as soon as Yar’adua’s failing health forces him to quit, or the presidential electoral tribunal orders the cancellation of the election.
On his part, former President Obasanjo has started "reconciliation" moves to appease his former enemies; our sources said the Ota farmer has already sent emissaries to General Buhari and personally met with IBB to discuss Yar'adua's failing health and his intention to support them in fresh elections. Aside from Babangida, Buhari is not buying Obasanjo's story while his erstwhile deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has refused to meet with his emissaries.
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