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Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for
reasons (B/D).

1. (C) Summary. On June 19, Special Assistant to Kwara State
Governor Saraki, Babatunde Morakinyo, told Econoff the Atiku
camp was secretly collecting signatures from House of
Assembly members to begin impeachment proceedings against
President Obasanjo. Morakinyo said Atiku was also collecting
evidence to charge Obasanjo with stealing money from the
Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN) excess crude oil account to
fund his third term campaign and the 2007 presidential
elections. End summary.

2. (C) Morakinyo, who also is related to Vice President
Atiku, asserted to Econoff June 19 that Vice President Atiku
had the best chance to win the 2007 elections. Morakinyo
claimed Atiku had the support of the northern leaders and the
majority of People's Democratic Party (PDP) governors. In
order to advance Atiku's campaign and weaken Obasanjo,
Atiku's camp was secretly collecting signatures from House of
Assembly members to begin impeachment proceedings against
Obasanjo. They had succeeded in gaining support from a
substantial number of members, he said.

3. (C) According to Morakinyo, the emergence of the new
People's Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Solomon Lar
was a strategic move orchestrated by Atiku and designed to
weaken Obasanjo and allow Atiku to change parties and still
retain his position as vice president. Under the Nigerian
Constitution, if there is serious internal divisions within
that official's original party, Morakinyo maintained an
elected officer is allowed to change parties yet retain his
current position.

4. (C) Morakinyo attended the National Executive Council
meeting of the PDP in Abuja on June 15, and stated the
conveners were trying to change the rules of the game by
allowing for "open" zoning rather than zoning the Presidency
to the North. This task would allow for a possible Southern
candidate to succeed Obasanjo. Morakinyo said if the PDP
changes the zoning procedures in favor of the South-South,
the 12 PDP northern state governors would leave the PDP.

5. (C) Atiku would choose an ethnic Igbo as his runningmate
and place Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu as Senate
President if he won the elections, Morakinyo predicted. He
emphasized that "Obasanjo is the most unpopular president in
Nigeria's history" and that most governors despise him.
Despite his unpopularity, Obasanjo continued to harbor
ambitions to remain in office post-2007. Morakinyo did not
rule out the possibility of Obasanjo calling a state of
emergency or otherwise canceling elections.

6. (C) Comment. In the aftermath of Obasanjo's third term
defeat, Atiku has a new lease on his political life. Atiku's
camp increasingly believes Obasanjo has lost significant
power. They think now is the time to exploit Obasanjo's
unpopularity and power shortage to the hilt. Consequently,
they will pressure him in the National Assembly via
impeachment proceedings while also attempting to scuttle the
PDP by sponsoring internecine squabbles. Meanwhile, Atiku is
building up the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) Party,
his likely political home once he departs the PDP. However,
if we know this is Atiku's plan, Obasanjo must also surely
know it and must be devising plans to counter it. Already
Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has told us Obasanjo
planned to indict Atiku on criminal charges. Under
Nigerian law, a pending indictment could render a person
ineligible to contest elections. Obasanjo could choose this
or any number of other avenues.

7. (C) Comment continued. The players are all beginning to
crowd onto center stage. The story that is the Nigerian
elections is at the precipice of its most dramatic moments.
End comment.
BROWNE


Source: https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06LAGOS892_a.html

nlfpmod

Kilode

Am no longer interested in this politics of a thing,why skipping everything about LP

If he did so, then obasanjo deserved it, he wanted a third term and asiwaju been a just leader kicked against it. Obasanjo is still in shock over how asiwaju was able to manage LAGOS state having denied Lagos FG allocation during asiwaju’s tenure as governor.

Tina00writer:
Am no longer interested in this politics of a thing,why skipping everything about LP

Aside social media LP is a joke

Rozross:
Aside social media LP is a joke

Soon you will witness peter obi sworn in as president (2023)

Tina00writer:
Soon you will witness peter obi sworn in as president (2023)

You should be a comedian with this statement

Rozross:
You should be a comedian with this statement

And i will appreciate

Rozross:
If he did so, then obasanjo deserved it, he wanted a third term and asiwaju been a just leader kicked against it. Obasanjo is still in shock over how asiwaju was able to manage LAGOS state having denied Lagos FG allocation during asiwaju’s tenure as governor.

Lies

Tinubu wanted the 3rd term on condition that governors will also be granted a third term.

He told late Yinka Ogunmakin who disagreed with the 3rd term entirely.

Ken Nnamani also attested to the fact how Tinubu helped stopped Obasanjo's third term agenda they out spent Obasanjo money for money

Even when Obasanjo wanted to punish Atiiku by removing him Tinubu sent Akeredolu SAN and Osinbajo SAN to court to get the process stopped


Many things Tinubu did for Democracy yet people that did nothing are now insulting him up and down

Rozross:
If he did so, then obasanjo deserved it, he wanted a third term and asiwaju been a just leader kicked against it. Obasanjo is still in shock over how asiwaju was able to manage LAGOS state having denied Lagos FG allocation during asiwaju’s tenure as governor.

Just being curious, how are you managing with your five kids in these times?

Ok we have heard. Can you please getat now?

From the title to the article all complete rubbish.

OneCandleAway:
Lies

Tinubu wanted the 3rd term on condition that governors will also be granted a third term.

That is the truth but you see this election, some people go cry for Africa and if I hear referendum na thunder go consume that person.

Deo1986:
Just being curious, how are you managing with your five kids in these times?

My five kids are perfectly fine lol

Felimax:
That is the truth but you see this election, some people go cry for Africa and if I hear referendum na thunder go consume that person.

Lol Asiwaju has lots of dent

Opintiwa:
Lol Asiwaju has lots of dent

According to police

Tinubu isn't in anyway connected to PDP assassination

Moh247:
According to police

Tinubu isn't in anyway connected to PDP assassination

Nigerian police ?

How about Bola Ige the advocate

Opintiwa:
Nigerian police ?

How about Bola Ige the advocate

Do you think we are kids NPF under PDP FG led by Obasanjo covered up the murder of late funsho Williams and chief Bola I've

Tinubu doesn't even have control over police or judiciary

And if Obasanjo had found anything linking Tinubu he would had impeached and imprison him and even write it in his book my watch

What is wrong with that afterall they were not in thesame party.

Moh247:
Do you think we are kids NPF under PDP FG led by Obasanjo covered up the murder of late funsho Williams and chief Bola I've

Tinubu doesn't even have control over police or judiciary

And if Obasanjo had found anything linking Tinubu he would had impeached and imprison him and even write it in his book my watch

Come on .

Okay let me agree with you that thing can be covered up.

What happened in Chicago about Tinubu?

Just so you know in that book he never indicted anyone for murder ,but betrayal and loot

Jargon .

Opintiwa:
Come on .

Okay let me agree with you that thing can be covered up.

What happened in Chicago about Tinubu?

Just so you know in that book he never indicted anyone for murder ,but betrayal and loot

Money laundering and forfeiture of $460k by Compass finance to us government

Moh247:
Money laundering and forfeiture of $460k by Compass finance to us government

Is that something good ?

Soon you will eyewitness politicians inaugurated in as president (2023)