Uganda Rural Community Support USA

“Sir, Sir, I want to be the first to tell you. Our enemy has
died.” “Whom the hell is your enemy?” “Abacha.” “Get out of here!”

The conversation took place inside Yola Prison in Nigeria shortly after
the sudden death of feared Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha last June. The
interlocutors were an excited prison warder and an irascible inmate, a
former head of state.

The warder, seeing himself as the harbinger of good tidings, had not
reckoned with the impatience and cynicism of a former head of state just
beginning to get accustomed to the indignities of prison life and an
uncertain fate. As the inmate, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, was to recall later,
he was headed for fellowship at 4 pm on the day the warder approached with
what he thought was good news.

“I took it as what I called prison rumour,” he told an interviewer.

But within two or three hours, about two or three people said the same
thing. So by 6 pm in Yola prison that day, every prisoner had heard the news.

“So I went in and said, well, this looks as if it’s true. So the
following morning they confirmed it . . .”

The confirmation about Abacha’s death was to pave the way for a whiff of
fresh air as mortified Nigerians at long last gloated at the fact that a
semblance of sanity had at least momentarily been restored in their long
troubled country, for years ravaged by the ruthlessness of corrupt military
dictators who had polished raping their motherland to an art form.

Ironically, the 61-year-old Obasanjo, a devoted Christian brought up in
the Baptist faith, did not celebrate the demise of Abacha, the man who had
several years earlier hounded him into prison on trumped-up charges of
plotting against his iron-fist, brutal rule. “How did I feel? How could I
feel?” he responded rhetorically to a question about his initial reaction
to news about Abacha’s death.

“Whenever anybody dies, we don’t feel happy that the man dies or the
woman dies.”

Obasanjo’s fiercely religious streak, together with an internationally
acclaimed record of probity in public affairs, seem to have played a very
large part in ensuring him the popularity he enjoys in Nigeria. As the
results of the country’s presidential election begin to stream in today,
that popularity seems set to translate into victory for him, paving the way
for a term as a civilian president, more than two decades after he
relinquished power as the military head of state of Nigeria, in 1979 when
he handed over the stewardship of state to an elected civilian government
headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a former Finance Minister who became the
Prime Minister.

If many people today have been viewing with a great sense of irony the
fact that Nigerians seem set to instal a former military ruler as head of
their country, many others see the move as necessary, given Obasanjo’s
formidable personality and the fact that Nigeria needs more than a wimp to
give it the vital kick on the rump that it needs to get it out of the
indolence that has for decades seen it virtually headed for the dogs. And
the fact that Obasanjo is nobody’s wimp has been more or less universally
accepted, and even his political adversaries did not at any point assume
that fighting a toe-to-toe political battle with him would be easy.

If anything, they have been taking the man absolutely seriously, and are
likely to be awaiting the forthcoming results of the presidential polls
with much trepidation. Their fright is justified, given the fact that man -
who at first was firm about not harbouring any political ambitions or
having an eye on the top office in his country - gradually revealed his
chameleonic character even as he showed his opponents one or two tricks
about the art of political acrobatics.

Reminded by a journalist five months ago that there was a vacancy at the
top in Nigeria, Obasanjo strongly denied he had any intentions of gunning
for it, stating firmly that, not being a politician, he was not even
thinking of running for the presidency. “Oh yes, I do know there is a
vacancy at the top,” he said.

“But I am not looking for a job. If there is a vacancy, then somebody
must be looking for a job. I am not looking for a job. And I believe for
the interest of Nigeria I am doing what I believe I should be doing now.”

What Obasanjo said he was doing then was to campaign for unity, peace
and stability in Nigeria, as well as to polish up the badly marred images
of the country in international circles.

But during the same interview the man who insisted that his main
interest was to raise chickens and pigs at his farm in Otta was cryptic
when asked if he would bow to the will of the people and run for the
presidency if called upon to do so by his countrymen. “Then you also have
to ask for God’s direction, because the people’s voice may not be God’s
voice,” he said, presaging what he today considers a divine call for him to
lead Nigeria once again.

“On the other hand, God’s voice may not be people’s voice. So if people
speak, God also has to speak.”

Apparently, the Almighty eventually did so, and as far as Obasanjo is
concerned His will will be done if the former military ruler romps to
victory. If that happens - as it appears set to - Obasanjo will need a lot
of divine guidance in turning Nigeria around from a nation hamstrung by
corruption and crime to the leading light it is supposed to be among
African nations. If today Nigerians are stigmatised by a reputation as
international drug-runners and master-con artists, they seem to be in
desperate need of a man like Obasanjo who is raring to take Nigeria to the
laundry and thoroughly deodorise its much sullied national fabric.

But there are misgivings about the man who has been selling himself as a
chicken farmer reluctantly headed for the helm in this country. Apart from
having a massive ego for which he has sometimes been described as
autocratic, Obasanjo has been accused by his Yoruba tribesmen - as well as
by many other non-Northerner Nigerians - of sleeping with the enemy.

He has as it were, done so by agreeing to be propped up by his former
colleagues in the military, most of them from the North, and generally
accused of having looted the country while in power. It has not helped that
Obasanjo has gone on record as saying he will not pursue military looters
who fattened themselves on ill-gotten booty from state coffers.

But among those Nigerians determined to see Obasanjo take his place at
Aso Rock, the presidential domain in Abuja, he is perceived as an
enlightened democrat akin to the late Moshood Abiola, a former classmate
and the president-to-be whose political ambitions were dashed by
imprisonment. Unlike Obasanjo, Abiola failed to survive his ordeal in
Abacha’s dungeons.

Despite Obasanjo having been a career soldier, he has - since ceding
power in Nigeria two decades ago - cut a niche for himself as an
international statesman, and counts among his friends leading international
figures. Among them are former heads of state like Jimmy Carter, James
Callaghan and Helmut Schmidt, as well as South African President Nelson
Mandela.

These were among the many luminaries who campaigned for his release,
alongside respected pro-democracy figures like Desmond Tutu and Andrew
Young. With friends like these, Obasanjo looks the sort of man who might
just manage to put Nigeria back on the international map.

Given the massive support he has received from the majority of Nigerians
in the run-up to the presidential polls, it appears his wife Stella should
start sprucing herself up for the role of first lady. It also appears all
Nigerians need to give a chance to the man who played an unforgettable role
in the Group of Eminent Persons selected to oversee South African’s
emergence from apartheid to nationhood, and who once visited Nelson Mandela
at the Robben Island Prison.

It should also not be forgotten that he was once touted as a possible
United Nations Secretary General. Maybe it is time all Nigerians, despite
the serious ethnic and religious divides that are so stark in their
country, decided to shine a new light into the future of their once very
promising nation.

“I believe God had punished Nigerian enough,” the man sworn to rescue
the country from the abyss has said. “And if you have a sweet song, why
should you change it? We will reconstruct our country.

We must not fail this time!”

Retired Gen Olusegun Obasanjo of the Peoole’s
Democracy Pary (PDP) has won more than 59 percet of the total votes cast
and so far declared from Nigeria’s presidential elections held Saturday.

The latest prelimimary results released by the independent national
electoral commission showed that the former military ruler had won a clear
majority in 18 of the 24 states so far declared.

He has also secured the mandatory 25 percent in 22 of the 24 states,
although he polled only 11.93 percent in Lagos state and 23.53 percent in
the western state of Osun. Obasanjo also recorded victory in Abuja the
federal capital.

His rival Olu Falae, the presidential candidate of the All People’s
Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD) scored outright victories in
six states and the mandatory 25 percent in 18 states.

A breakdown showed that obasanjo has so far received 11,301,193 votes of
the total 19,074, 536 announced so far while Falae has collected 7,773,343
or 40.75 percent of the total.

More results are still being awaited from 12 of the 36- state federation.

The following is the latest table of votes issued by the Independent
National Election Commission.

[ST]

State APP Percent PDP Percent Total

————————————————————

Abia 175,095 30.69 360823 67.33 535918

Plateau 17370 25.78 4.99072 74.22 672442

Imo 3142,34 42.70 421767 57.90 736106

Alabawa 173277 29.02 423731 70.78 597,008

Ogun 332,340 69.83 43,564 30.17 475.904

Akwa Ibom 152534 17.27 730744 82.73 883278

Ebonyi 94934 27.44 250,987 75.56 345921

Enugu 195168 23.36 640418 76.64 835586

Oyo 693510 75.29 227668 24.71 921178

Edo 39788 40.18 59238 59.82 99022

Osun 607628 76.47 187011 23.53 794639

Sokoto 198829 56.10 155598 43.90 354427

Ondo 163203 24.01 516581 75.99 679784

Igawa 237025 43.21 311571 56.79 548596

Lagos 1542969 88.07 209012 11.93 1751981

Kano 222458 24.59 682255 75.41 904713

Anambra 199461 23.94 633717 76.06 833518

Gombe 311381 36.87 533158 63.13 844539

Zamfara 243755 64.13 136325 35.81 380079

Kaduna 381,350 22.75 1,294,679 77.25 1,676,029

Bauchi 340,233 29.4 834,308 70.91 1.126,541

Kogi 476,801 48.42 507,903 51.58 984,710

Kwara 189,088 28.67 470,510 71.33 659,598

Niger 140,465 16.12 73,0665 83.88 871,130

Kebi 172,336 33.54 339,893 66.36) 512,229

Total 7,773,343 11,301,193 19,074536

Perentage 40.75 59.24

[ET]

Chief Oluyemi Falae, the AD-APP presidential candidate now on
his way to Abuja from Akure, Ondo State where he cast his vote yesterday,
has described Saturday’s polls as a farce.

“From what I have heard so far, the election is a farce. If you listen
to the international observers and to the foreign media, they have told you
that there were places voting was completed before the people came. I said
if General Obasanjo wins in a free and fair election, I will congratulate
him. This is not a free and fair election. The reason we struggled in
NADECO against the military was that we did not want to be ruled by the
people we did not elect. A man who is rigged in is not elected by us. So we
will not be ruled by a man we did not elect. The whole thing is funny. It
is childish. Ideally nobody is going to accept it.”

Although he won 87 percent of the votes cast in the state, results from
the other parts of the country gave his rival, Olusegun Obasanjo, a
sweeping victory. Aides of Falae told P.M. News this afternoon that Chief
Falae is going to Abuja to manage the falls-out from the landmark polls
said to have been fraught with massive vote theft and other anomalies.

Falae yesterday gave indications that he maybe protesting the results of
the poll when he criticised the newspaper advertisement by his rival, on
the day of polling. Ephraim Akpata, INEC boss yesterday described polling
day campaign as criminal, which may attract a conviction and may constitute
a basis for election petition. Election monitors such as former US leader,
Jimmy Carter have also pointed at anomalies in states like Nassarawa.
Monitors generally have reported the stuffing of ballot boxes and the use
of violence in some states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Katsina, Enugu and Kaduna,
where PDP recorded high votes .Chief Falae has said he would accept the
results if the election of the poll was free, fair and peaceful.

The much awaited, much talked about Nigeria’s presidential
election has come and gone. And a winner has emerged.

He is a comeback army general, Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian leader
and a farmer. He won by a landslide, far beyond the expectations of pundits
and poltical opponents who had predicted a close race.

In some states, where there was a great political awareness, Nigerians
came out in large numbers, while in some states, there was general voter
apathy as represented in the total votes cast in the states. General
Olusegun Obasanjo, clearly the favourite put up a good showing in the north
while he lost in all the 6 states of the Southwest for the fourth time.
Obasanjo won his local council in Ogun State, even though Chief Olu Falae
still coast home to victory with 332,340 votes as against Obasanjo’s
143,564 votes.

Falae therefore garnered 70 per cent of the votes cast in Ogun State.
The highest votes secured in any state was recorded in Lagos state where
APP’s candidate, Chief Olu Falae recorded 1,542,969 votes, representing 88
percent of the total votes cast. Here Obasanjo merely netted 209,012
representing a paltry 12 percent of the total votes cast.

The closest showing to Lagos by way of total votes cast was recorded in
Katsina state where General Obasanjo got 1,294,676 representing over 80 per
cent. Here, Chief Falae polled 154,534 to earn just 17.4 percent of the
total votes cast.

The APP found it difficult to win in some of the northern states it had
won in previous elections. Such states include Jigawa and Gombe.

In Jigawa State, APP polled 237025, representing 24.6 percent of the
total votes cast. Similarly, in Gombe State where the APP won the guber
polls convincinly last January, it lost by a wide margin to PDP as the PDP
presidential candidate polled 533,158 while his APP candidate polled
311,381 votes which represent 36.9 percent.

One reason perhaps for this was the fact that those who campaigned for
General Obasanjo in the North always stressed at every campaign forum that
he (Obasanjo) was the only one that could be trusted and that he was hated
in the Southwest because “he had refused to be a pro-Yoruba leader”. This
proved a very strong selling point among the Hausa/Fulani. One other reason
given for this is the fact that some APP chieftains developed bad faith
against the AD/APP alliance and refused to work towards its success.

For example, in Kebbi State, the governor-elect was reported to have
announced that people could vote for a party of their choice, instead of
urging them to vote for his own party. This attitude was a fallout of the
APP presidential primaries which threw the party into crisis.

In the North, it was also said that there was little awareness campaign
to strenghten the alliance. As a result many of the votes meant for Falae
were voided. In Kano State for example more than 36,368 votes went to the
Alliance for |Democracy.

This was in addition to the fact that at the last minute, Alhaji
Abubakar |Rimi, went on Radio Nigeria Kaduna where he described Chief Falae
as a tribalist and urged northerners not to vote for him. In Kano, while
Obasanjo scored 682,255 representing 72.13 percent, Chief Falae won 222,458
votes.

He was unable to secure the mandatory 25 percent of the votes cast. He
nicked 23.52 percent. The battle was indeed close in Kogi State where the
PDP candidate scored 507,903 as against 476,807 garnered by the APP
candidate. Falae’s performance in Kaduna state was abysmally poor.

He polled 381,350 votes, as against 1,294,679 recorded by Obasanjo. Yet
it will surprise some that the same Falae recorded votes well in excess of
25 per cent in Bauchi state. Dr. Olusola Saraki’s decision to switch over
to PDP obviously affected the outcome of the election in Kwara state as the
PDP won by a landslide. The greatest surprise at the election was the
manner the PDP retained its hold on all the states in the |South East,
despite the threats of massive voter revolt. At the time of going to press,
Obasanjo has won in 24 states, while the APP candidate won in only 8 states.

The margin of victory constitutes a massive landslide.

Nigerian military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar missed his
chance to vote in Saturday’s presidential election when he arrived late at
the polling station.

“I am told I am disqualified,” Abubakar told reporters at the polling
station in Abuja, where he arrived shortly after the 11 a.m. (1000 GMT)
deadline for registered voters to get their cards stamped before casting
their ballots. His late arrival was explained by the fact that he had been
touring other voting centres. “One presidential candidate has lost one
vote,” said Abubakar, who has promised to step down for the winner on May
29, less than a year after he took power after the death of dictator Sani
Abacha.

Former military ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo and former finance
minister Olu Falae are the candidates in the election, which is designed to
end 15 years of crippling military rule in Africa’s most populous nation.
40 million Nigerians were expected to vote in yesterday’s polls. Reuters

A Liberian legislator says more detailed information is
needed on the national budget. Bomi County Senator Mohammed Dukuly said the
budget lacks information on categories of projected government revenue.
Senator Dukuly said the contributions of government agencies are not
reflected.

Senator Dukuly is the Senate Committee Chairman on Ways, Means and
Finance. He addressed financial experts during a budget hearing Friday. The
Bomi County Senator observed that the budget is intended for special
programs. Senator Dukuly said in the absence of detailed information there
are proposals for increment. He spoke against the collection of revenue by
unauthorized government agencies. Senator Dukuly said the budgets of those
agencies would be cut if they did not stop. He said further hearings on the
budget will continue on Monday. The Minster of Finance and Director General
of the Budget are to reappear.

* President Bill Clinton says he supports debt relief for Africa. He
says debt relief alone will not solve Africa’s problems. He says it will
only work if it’s accompanied by sound economic policy. President Clinton
made the statement in a recent news conference. He held the conference
jointly with President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana. President Rawlings was in
the US on an official visit. The American President praised Ghana for its
success. He said Ghana has achieved steady political and economic growth
over the years. Both Presidents addressed a wide range of issues. They
included this year’s Ghanian budget and dual citizenship law.

* The Coca Cola Company in Monrovia says it’s not folding up operations.
The company’s Sales Manager said the company has a technical breakdown. Mr.
Richard Fallah said they are awaiting the arrival of spare parts. He said
the company hopes to resume production next week. Mr. Fallah addressed the
House Committee Chairman on Commerce and Industry. This comes in the wake
of the shortage of USTC products on the market. USTC is the United States
Trading Company. It operates the Coca Cola factory in Paynesville

* The Lofa bridge in lower Lofa County is in a deplorable condition.
Residents said logging companies have refused to help repair the bridge.
The residents said the companies argued they are paying taxes to
government. They said there are over five logging companies operating in
the Lofa area. The residents said the bridge is so badly damaged that they
have stopped children from crossing it. The bridge connects lower Lofa with
Grand Cape Mount County.

* STAR radio’s Administrative Coordinator yesterday ended her assignment
at the station. Dr. Jeanette Carter helped to establish STAR radio in 1997.
Dr. Carter said Liberians and expatriates must learn to work together. She
was speaking at a farewell reception held for her by staff of the station.
Dr. Carter said the collective efforts of everyone were needed to rebuild
Liberia. She said political leaders must discourage ethnicity. Ethnicity,
Dr. Carter said, would undermine stability.

She also said Liberia must discourage its citizens from going into
exile. Dr. Carter said the civil war has ended. All Liberians, she said,
must feel secure. Dr. Carter has spent over thirty years in Liberia. She
has worked with several local and international organizations. Dr. Carter
taught anthropology at the University of Liberia in the seventies.

* A Canadian Teachers’ organization is to assist Liberian teachers. The
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) says it has approved the assistance.
The amount approved is ten thousand Canadian dollars. An official of the
National Teachers’ Association of Liberia says the money is for training.
The association President Rudolph Marsh said beneficiaries include one
hundred teachers. He said the training will last for three months. It will
be facilitated for four CTF members.

* The Liberia Rubber Development Unit has ended a week’s workshop.
Participants at the workshop learned how to control pests. They also
learned how to manage farms. LRDU officials say the workshop’s aim is to
encourage reopening of private rubber farms. Bong County Representative
Martin Kerkula addressed the closing program. He said LRDU management
should rehire its former employees. He said it will reduce the unemployment
in Salala District. LRDU was established in 1978.

Benin’s Independent Electoral Commission has
extended by 48 hours the registration of voters for the 28 parliamentary
elections.

A press release issue by the commission said the decision was made
Saturday after a low turnout of potential voters was observed.

The registration process, which was supposed to end Monday will now
continue until Wednesday.

The chairman of election commission, Deme Saidou Agbantou, launched an
appeal to those who had not registered to do so within the given period.

Searing heat, dust and rocky roads have proved too much for
some rallyists, forcing 15 of them into retirement at the end of the second
leg.

Earlier when they reported at Equator Service Park early in the morning
from Nairobi. Burns led followed by Sainz and McRae.

Thousands of safari rally enthusiasts lined up the route to cheer. Those
who have retired are Loix and Smeets from Belgium, driving a Mitsubishi
Charisma which rolled.

Kankkunen and Repo from Finland, driving a Subaru Impreza also retired
over an electrical problem. Katto and Stone from Uganda and Kenya in their
Subaru Impreza, also retired due to an engine problem.

Kenyans Kibiti and Mwangi, driving a Hyundai Coupe FX, were knocked out
by a mechanical problem. Cavenagh and Sasoon of Great Britain, driving a
Subaru Impreza retired over a broken suspension.

Anwar and Cassam from Kenya and G. Britain, in a Hyundai Elantra, left
after their car caught fire.

Others affected by mechanical problems included Hussein Lalani from
Kenya (Subaru Legacy), Kenyans Hajee and Nanji (Toyota Celica Turbo), Khan
and Khan (Subaru Impreza) A. Kuria and Singh (Mazda Familia) and Fernandes
and Kimondo in a Hyundai Elantra.

Ford Team’s Colin McRae from Britain took over the lead as at
6pm yesterday after defending champion Richard Burns retired from the
Safari Rally with a broken steering column 87 kilometres into the second leg.

Driving car No. 5, a Subaru Impreza, the Briton had taken over the lead
from Spain’s Carlos Sainz in the final stages of the first leg on Friday.
Co-driven by compatriot Robert Reid, Burns is understood to have managed to
get his hobbling car along again, but with little chance of getting any
help inside the time limit, and so he retired.

He had been leading both on the road and on points. The lead has so far
changed hands five times, with McRae charging up front. But McRae was under
siege from Toyota’s Didier Auriol and Carlos Sainz who are second and
third, respectively.

McRae, the 1997 champion, said at the Nyaru service point:

“The worst of this rally is far from over.”

Others who retired on the second leg included Ugandan champion Emmanuel
Kato who was knocked out by an engine problem, and Belgian Freddy Loix
whose Mitsubishi Charisma rolled on the first leg. Thirteen others have
also called it quits. The highest-placed Kenyan, Ian Duncan, cruised his
Toyota Corolla to the sixth position behind Piero Liatti and Carlo Cassina.
Duncan said he had no problems and was “flying like a sausage again”.

Triple World champion Tommi Makinen from Finland was fourth. Meanwhile,
today marks the third and and final day of the Safari Rally. The action
starts at 6 am at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre from where
the rally cars will travel along Mombasa Road to the Athi River turn-off.

After the turn-off, the cars will then take the Namanga road heading for
Kajiado. Fans wishing to catch the thrills can watch them at Plains Park
from 6.57 am. The cars will then head towards Namanga for the 67- km trip
to Lenkili.

Motorists on Mombasa Road are advised to park off the tarmac and expect
traffic congestion due to rally cars using the route. According to the
rally organisers, the cars will only travel down this part of the tarmac
three times.

“Once, on the way down to Lenkili, and then on the way back from II
Bisel,” organisers said. An hour later, they will emerge from Orien which
is about 17-km out of Kajiado.

“Anywhere within 10 kilometres of Kajiado will place you in the middle
of the action,” say the organisers, who urged spectators to stay in one
place to see the cars three times on this stretch of road as they travel to
and from Lenkili, II Bisel and Orien.

All the cars remaining in the rally will attempt the “Special
Competitive Section” at Jamhuri Park as the final section.

The times achieved at this late stage of the event will not make a
difference to the overall standings but it will be a great opportunity to
see both local and world class stars putting their “magnificent machinery”
through the paces.

The first car is expected at the KICC at 3.20 pm.

The Annual General meeting of the Mashonaland Junior Golf
Association, originally scheduled for last Thursday, 25 February, has now
been rescheduled for 4 March-which is next Thursday. The venue is still
Country Club and the time is 6pm.

Anyone who has children who enjoy the efforts of the Association should
attend and show some willingness to help. Each school holidays, the Junior
Golf Association organises a host of golf competitions at various courses
around town to foster the game among the younger set, from whom tomorrow’s
stars must appear.

Together with the other provincial bodies, they select Junior teams to
represent this country abroad. Former Junior stars from our country include
Nick Price, Mark McNulty and Dennis Watson with young Lewis Chitengwe
carrying on the tradition. But help is needed-and if you go along then you
will learn how you can do your bit for the game and the youngsters who love
to play it. If one of those youngsters is yours, don’t you feel that maybe
you should help out? And dropping Junior off and collecting him or her
again after a game, is not what the Association has in mind.