Lobbyists Advise U.S. Against Frosty Relationship With Yardua.
The Guardian Tuesday June
5, 2007
Author: Laolu Akande.
A faction has emerged in the council for foreign relations (CFR) an influential group that is known to be very powerful in the determination of American foreign policy thrust, that is strongly advising the Bush
administration against being aloof to the new administration in Nigeria. Their argument is that such a stand will leave the new Yardua administration vulnerable to the influence of China which is presently pursuing an aggressive foreign policy in Africa. Though the CFR condemned the rigging at the ballot and the shoddiness by which the new
government emerged they did not agree that this should warrant the coldness with which the Bush administration is treating the new government in Nigeria. The inauguration was largely ignored by the Bush administration who attached little importance to the event. It went unannounced on the white house website and the white house did not send a delegation. No statement has been issued on the new administration by the U.S. secretary of state Condoleza Rice. An assistant secretary of state Dr Jendayi Frazer led the delegation to the inauguration. Even Dr. Frazer and her delegation did not hide their feelings about the new government in Nigeria as reflected by their comments at the African section of the U.S. state department. Those who are lobbying for a U.S. rethink are hopeful that election tribunals will restore the image of the new government to an extent. Other business groups including the corporate council for Africa and other affiliated business groups which built solid relationships with the Obasanjo reform teams are also willing to support the Yardua administration, if it promises to build on the relationship they have with the Obasanjo administration. There are however indications that pressure groups against the immediate past Obasanjo administration including the former vice president Abubakar Atiku are already mobilizing to shift the campaign against Yarduas administration.