By Felix Ofou (Lagos)
And Chuks Ehirim (Abuja)

They made the point at the November session of the All Nigeria American Congress (ANAC) in Washington last week during which new leaders of the ANAC were elected for a five-year tenure.

The Americans warned that it would be disastrous for Obasanjo to even entertain thoughts of a third term since the idea would meet with stiff opposition from within and outside Nigeria.

Jeter, however, noted that no official confirmation has come out of Aso Rock and that speaking further on the alleged plot at this time could be mere speculation.

Said he: “It’s important that Nigeria respects its Constitution. A lot has been gained by this present administration for the past six years. The economic gains, the effective positioning of women in the administration, the fight against corruption, advance in the democratic process, all of these have brought tremendous respect from the international community, especially for Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Nigeria would be wise to stay on course and not draw back to the dark ages of Nigerian politics with efforts that would disrespect its Constitution and democracy.”

Jeter stressed the need for Abuja’s anti-corruption campaign to continue on a long-term basis and canvassed that Nigeria-U.S. economic programmes should pay attention to sectors in America where there are natural affiliations.

Former Assistant Secretary of State on Africa, Herman Cohen, remembered when Nigeria was at par with South Korea, Malaysia and other Far East countries which were developing at the same pace as Nigeria in the sixties, but have today widened the gap.

He remarked though that a window of opportunity for growth has been opened by the present administration.

“As Nigeria grows, so does Africa. There is real opportunity here. With the development we see, for the first time in decades, there is not much apprehension over investments in Nigeria and the political situation is encouraging. It is important that the flame of democracy, anti-corruption and economic development continues without falling back again.”

The highpoint of the event was the election of ANAC President, which was contested by Okey Mbonu, Lateef Kareem and Stanley Onye.

Mbonu, an Attorney and Commissioner for Housing in Prince Georges County, Maryland defeated the other two.

Kareem, a Chicago based physician, came second.

Temitope Ajayi, a delegate from San Fransisco, California, beat the other delegates for Vice President. Sam Agbebi and Bright Aregs both won for the posts of House Whip.

Those elected to the Upper House included Abdul Lateef Kareem, Martin Okafor, Colin Atobajeun, A. Igwebuike and Akeem Bello.

Peter Agho and David Ogunnaike were elected for a three-year term.

Seven others elected for a two-year term were Eric Ula-lisa, Ola Aina, Samuel Isokpunwu, Paul Oranika, Paul Ikhimien, Stanley Onye and Robert Igbinovia.

The occasion was well attended with delegates and participants engaging the representative of Obasanjo, Felix Pwol, who tried his best to answer the loads of questions on issues ranging from anti-corruption to development.

A visiting scholar, Sokoto Mohammed and S. Adesanya, leading a Nigerian based political think tank group, gave updates on Nigeria, with S. Adesanya lamenting the poor state of labour wage.

Mohammed concentrated on updates on the progress made in Nigeria in recent months, but drew applause when he listed anti-corruption cases being prosecuted.

Obasanjo, sent a personal representative and Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and a host of other officials.

The President was honoured with the first ANAC award for his anti-corruption and economic programmes.

The organisation is slated to continue its lobby in the U.S. on behalf of the estimated six million Nigerians in North America and to send a delegation to Nigeria and open an Abuja office early 2006.

Meanwhile, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) may query its governors who are supporting Obasanjo’s third term quest.

Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe State is one of those who may face the wrath of the party’s leadership when it meets on January 28, 2006.

Reacting to Ibrahim’s endorsement of the third term tenure, both ANPP National Chairman, Don Etiebet and Deputy National Chairman (North), Jeremiah Useni, distanced the party from the position.

Etiebet said the ANPP leadership has not discussed the third term agenda and “as far as I am concerned, the whole thing is speculation, which I will not react to.”

Useni was more forthcoming. “The answer I will like to give you here is that the matter has not been discussed by the party. There is a lot of hearsay and rumours going on, some appear to be true, some appear not to be true.

“Yes, I read in the papers this morning that one of our governors supports the third term. It is not everything you read in the papers you fight over. We are an organised party, the chairman hasn’t contacted the governor yet to know whether what he read in the papers is true.

“We will raise the issue at our next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. This one we read in the papers, some of the governors involved will tell us what happened. Maybe they have been misquoted.”

Both men spoke at a press briefing on Monday at the ANPP’s national secretariat in Abuja where Etiebet unveiled the party’s programme which begins with the distribution of new membership cards, registration and production of new membership register in January to elective congresses and convention in April 2006.

Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has berated Ibrahim, for endorsing the third term.

A statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said “the CNPP was thoroughly embarrassed by the volte-face of Bukar Ibrahim, who before now, had supported our gruesome struggle to halt the slide of Nigerian democracy into fascist dictatorship.

“The danger of the anti democratic statement of the third term newly recruited governor is that we envisage in the days ahead where more governors are whipped into line by the old carrot and stick tactics.”

The CNPP argued that Ibrahim might have been influenced by the fear of the EFCC or the possibility of benefiting from an extension of Obasanjo’s tenure.