african interest
...news
about africa by africans..
|
|
|
Related Links of Interest
UN-Africa
Reach African Proswww.anpa.org Newspaper Siteswww.newsdayngonweb.com The Comet Westafricannews.net [Hausa] VOA [Hausa] |
Is President Yar’Adua a Liar? Seyi Oduyela/Washington, DC For the first time, President Umar Yar’Adua of Nigeria visited the White House on Thursday. What is more important was not his visit but the vent that has been unfolding after his declared support for AFRICOM. During his first meeting with President George Bush on Thursday, the Nigerian President said he believed that the establishment of the command otherwise known as AFRICOM would lead to the implementation of peace and security issues in Africa. He said, “We discussed security issues not only on Nigeria, Niger Delta, but also within the Gulf of Guinea. “And we shall partner with AFRICOM not only in Nigeria but also on the continent to actualize the peace and security initiatives which is an initiative to help standby forces in each of the regional groupings of Africa,” he added. After his visit to the White House, his statement has been greeted with condemnation and to correct what his mistake, President Umar Musa Yar’Adua went on the Voice of America to, not to retract what he said, but denies that he said it. On Friday, he told the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) in Washington DC that his position on AFRICOM remains unchanged. “I did not accept AFRICOM in my discussions with Bush. I asked for assistance and told Bush that we have our plans to establish bases for African countries. We asked for training on weapons and training to establish our bases to be managed by our people.” “Seven countries in the Gulf of Guinea will be involved,” he stated. Mr. Yar’Adua said he asked for training from the US government. The US insisted it can only render help through its AFRICOM base in Stuttgart, Germany, said Yar’Adua. In his usual Area-Boy diplomatic style, Mr. Ojo Maduekwe said on Friday night that: “There is no u-turn on the part of Nigeria or the President. Nothing has changed.” “What happened is a clearer articulation of US position. The convergence is that we have had long experience of training and sharing of information and if AFRICOM is about training and cooperation then we have no problem with that component.” “If it is about capacity building, training and logistics we will work with them. But, no country or military is going to come and us like an occupied territory. That will not happen.” “I can promise you that you will not see American soldiers or marines on the streets of Lagos or Abuja or anywhere in Nigeria running around with guns or a building with AFRICOM signpost on it.” Maduekwe said. |
|
Send mail to
editor@africaninterest.net with questions or comments about this web site.
|