Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua came to power under the shadow of disputed elections and an overbearing predecessor, but his first two months in office have shown evidence that he is quietly asserting his authority.
The soft-spoken former state governor was plucked from obscurity by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to run for the top job, but the April elections he won by a landslide were judged ”not credible” by European observers because of vote-rigging.
Many Nigerians suspected Obasanjo of picking a weak candidate so that he could continue to pull the strings from retirement, and their fears seemed confirmed when the ex-general took control of the ruling party just after he stepped down.
But a series of developments in politics, business and the courts suggest that in his own quiet way, Yar’Adua is gaining independence from his more flamboyant predecessor.
Among these was the withdrawal of a consortium of business tycoons close to Obasanjo from a deal to take over two of the country’s dysfunctional oil refineries.
The deal, struck in the last days of Obasanjo’s government when Yar’Adua was already president-elect, triggered a huge controversy over perceived cronyism and conflict of interest. It was one of the reasons for a four-day general strike in June.
Last week, the tycoons announced they were pulling out. The official version was that they withdrew voluntarily because of the storm of criticism, but hardly anyone believed that.
”They were prevailed upon to back out and it was a very significant indication of how this administration intends to operate,” said Antony Goldman, an independent expert on Nigeria.
”This is an administration that is reluctant to court controversy and yet is looking to resolve sticky issues, without causing excess noise,” he said.
Corruption charges
Other notable developments included a court decision to oust Andy Uba, one of Obasanjo’s closest associates, from his plum job as governor of Anambra state, and another court ruling to release former militia leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari from jail.
Asari’s freedom was demanded by armed groups who have attacked Nigeria’s oil industry, but under Obasanjo attempts to release him failed for a year and a half. It finally happened just over two weeks into Yar’Adua tenure.
Many Nigerians believe those court decisions would not have been possible under Obasanjo, and they also point to a burst of activity from the anti-corruption police as a sign of change.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has just charged five former state governors with corruption.
Governors, who have discretionary powers over millions of dollars of public funds and immunity from prosecution while in office, were long considered untouchable and those who fell foul of the EFCC under Obasanjo were mostly his opponents.
Anti-graft campaigners have expressed the hope that the EFCC’s renewed energy was only the start of a broader campaign, free of interference from the executive.
Yar’Adua’s Cabinet is not yet known as his list of ministerial nominees has only just been approved by the Senate. Portfolios are expected to be announced on Thursday.
Insiders say the list is a modest break with the Obasanjo era because it includes a few people who were ministers under the former president but only one of his high-profile loyalists.
They say Yar’Adua’s strategy consists of gradually freeing himself of Obasanjo without seeking a full-on confrontation. — Reuters