US ready to support fresh elections

11.12.2007

THE United States government would be ready and willing to support a new presidential election in Nigeria next year, a senior official of the Bush administration disclosed in an interview at the weekend to Empowered Newswire.

According to the official, the US was ready to offer assistance for new elections in Nigeria but he could not say what kind of assistance, but said “we are a major supporter, and whenever is the next Nigerian elections we ‘ll look for ways to support the election.”

The US supported the April elections and was prominent among the international donors that provided about $4 billion for the elections. There have been muted talks of a possible new election in case the presidential election petitions is ruled against Yar’Adua.

There is also the talk even internationally that Yar’Adua would possibly not appeal such a ruling, fuelling speculations of possible new elections next year. On the Niger Delta, the US president is also expecting to hear more of the plans of President Yar’Adua.

Against the background of some tardiness on the planned Niger Delta summit, the US top official said “we want to hear his plans and how the US can help bring security and development to Niger Delta.”

He noted international satisfaction on some “successes on the ground, the conduct of the governors (in the area) and security,” but insisted that more transparency needed in the spending of public funds in the Niger Delta.

The US government want to talk with Yar’Adua about how the US can help in providing technical assistance in terms of capacity building to ensure effective public spending, he said. “We can help at the local level, you can have a governor who wants to be transparent and effective in public spending but lacks the capacity.

We can provide technical assistance at the local levels and the expertise to implement projects,” he said.