Wikileaks: Vice President Jonathan, a "corrupt and ineffective state governor"

 
 Elombah.com  

 A US Ambassador called current President Goodluck Jonathan a "corrupt and ineffective state governor". He also said the baggage that Jonathan will carry with him into State House includes "past reports of corruption, political thuggery, and payments to "militant factions".

A Wikileaks Reports stated that as President yar'adua remains in serious condition in Saudi Arabia, "dark rumors about Yar'Adua's health have given way to broad fears that Yar'Adua is likely entering his final days.

Even if he defies the odds and returns to resume his duties, at least nominally, his authority has taken such a battering that he would be hard pressed to keep rivals in check, much less enforce his writ in government and the party.

We will report on December 2 Vice President Jonathan's chequered past as a corrupt and ineffective state governor and his options in the current situation.  Whether Jonathan thinks he can ride the constitution to the presidency, or if he is simply playing his cards close to his vest, is unclear. 

Senator Mark's apparent support for Jonathan is ironic since the ambitious Mark is next in line for the presidency, if both the president and the vice president leave the scene".

Though Wikileaks did not contain the December 2 Report, in another report the US Ambassador said: "We are preparing a report (septel) on the baggage that Jonathan will carry with him into State House as there have been past reports of corruption, political thuggery, and payments to "militant factions" from his days as Governor of Bayelsa State as well as questions about his competency in general.

"As Nigerians come to grips with the probability of Yar'Adua's demise, there appears to be growing public support -- even in the North -- for Vice President Jonathan to assume the presidential mantle.  Despite widespread doubts about Jonathan's integrity and competence, there is encouraging deference, at least in public, to the principle that the constitutionally-prescribed line of succession should be respected."

See the first Full report below:

SUBJECT: HOPES DIM ON PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA'S HEALTH

REF: A. QUINN-MCCULLOUGH E-MAIL 12/01
     ¶B. ABUJA 2152
     ¶C. ABUJA 2132

Classified By: Political Counselor James P. McAnulty
for reasons in Sections 1.4 (b) and (d).


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SUMMARY
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¶1. (S) Nigerian President Yar'Adua remains gravely ill,
according to multiple sources.  One confidant at Yar'Adua's
bedside insisted to Ambassador on December 1 that Yar'Adua is
still unwell but does not yet appear to be at death's door;
however, a doctor treating Yar'Adua told CG Jeddah at about
the same time that the Nigerian president is in his final
days.  We suspect the latter report is more credible; so, we
are looking at contingencies for the Mission.  USG next steps
should include a call to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to
underscore the importance of constitutional due process.  A
contingency statement and press guidance are also being
prepared.  The prospect that the widely-disparaged Jonathan
may be on the cusp of the presidency is a matter of growing
concern for some Nigerians.  END SUMMARY.

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YAR'ADUA'S CONDITION REMAINS GRAVE
----------------------------------

¶2. (S) Multiple sources agree that President Yar'Adua remains
gravely ill.  Late November 30, Kwara State Governor Saraki,
one of the Yar'Adua confidants who have gathered in Jeddah,
told Ambassador that Yar'Adua was responding positively to
treatment, had returned to his room, and had eaten.  On
December 1, however, Saraki acknowledged that Yar'Adua's
condition was serious, even if he didn't appear to be at
death's door.  Information Minister Dora Akuniyi, known to be
a straight shooter, separately confirmed to Ambassador on
December 1 that Yar'Adua is in very bad shape, and promised
an update later that day.  Also on December 1, a doctor
involved in Yar'Adua's treatment at King Faisal Hospital told
CG Jeddah that the Nigerian president's condition is
"malignant and irreversible," and that the end could occur in
a matter of days or less (ref e-mail).

¶3. (SBU) Senate President David Mark publicly dismissed calls
for Yar'Adua to step down for health reasons, and instead
urged Nigerians to pray during the next nine days for
Yar'Adua's recovery.  Separately, the ruling People's
Democratic Party (PDP) insisted that the National Assembly
had no power to remove Yar'Adua unilaterally from office, and
a PDP spokesperson reaffirmed support for Vice President
Goodluck Jonathan.

-----------------------------
FOCUS GROWS ON VICE PRESIDENT
-----------------------------

¶4. (C) As doubts intensify that Yar'Adua will leave the
hospital alive, the role of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan
is generating new speculation and concern as Yar'Adua's
constitutionally anointed successor.

¶5. (C) Jonathan Mark, Special Assistant to his father Senate
President David Mark, told PolOff December 1 that Vice
President Jonathan visited his father, a close friend and
fellow Catholic, on November 29 to seek his advice.  Contrary
to his public denial, Jonathan reportedly told Mark that
certain quarters had in fact pressured him to resign.  The
Qcertain quarters had in fact pressured him to resign.  The
younger Mark said his father advised the Vice President
against resignation, assuring him that he enjoyed the full
support of the Senate and the country's constitution.   The
younger Mark added that there is considerable discomfort
among Senate leaders over the religious and "North-South"
undertones of the debate over Jonathan's future.

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ABUJA 00002163  002 OF 002


NEXT STEPS
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¶6. (C) In addition to an immediate telephone call from
Assistant Secretary Carson to Jonathan in the event of
Yar'Adua's death, to underscore our support for
constitutional due process and not him as a person, it would
be appropriate and productive for the White House to issue a
condolence statement from one head of state to another.  We
are also drafting contingency statements and guidance, and
are reassessing Mission resources in the event of fast
changes on the ground.  The Defense Attache and Regional
Affairs Offices are closely monitoring sentiments and
activities in the military.

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KUDOS
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¶7. (SBU) We would like to thank our colleagues at Embassy
Riyadh and especially CG Jeddah for their outstanding support
in tracking Yar'Adua's condition.

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COMMENT
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¶8. (C) Dark rumors about Yar'Adua's health have given way to
broad fears that Yar'Adua is likely entering his final days.
Even if he defies the odds and returns to resume his duties,
at least nominally, his authority has taken such a battering
that he would be hard pressed to keep rivals in check, much
less enforce his writ in government and the party.  We will
report on December 2 Vice President Jonathan's chequered past
as a corrupt and ineffective state governor and his options
in the current situation.  Whether Jonathan thinks he can
ride the constitution to the presidency, or if he is simply
playing his cards close to his vest, is unclear.  Senator
Mark's apparent support for Jonathan is ironic since the
ambitious Mark is next in line for the presidency, if both
the president and the vice president leave the scene.