The government of the United States of America has predicted that Nigeria will survive the 2015 elections, contrary to the earlier prediction that the elections would divide the country, even as Nigerians are said to be trooping in their hundreds to take refuge in Ghana ahead of the February elections.
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle who took a look at what he called Nigeria’s “big challenges,” today said that the problems at stake are surmountable.
According to the American envoy, Nigerians should “throw out of the window” the idea from “some think-tank or somebody outside the (US) government” stating that Nigeria would fall apart in 2015.
Entwistle spoke in Lagos during an interactive session with journalists on the recent donation of a US naval ship, christened NNS Okpabana, to the Nigerian Navy.
The US diplomat said: “I have been plagued by the question (on Nigeria’s possible disintegration in 2015) and I have gone back to look and I can’t find any government report that said Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015. Maybe some think-tank or somebody outside the government said it; I don’t know.
“But in my opinion as the US Ambassador to this country, I am not worried in the least that Nigeria is going to disintegrate in 2015. Regardless of what someone may have said, the question is that we are now here in 2015: Do we see signs that Nigeria is going to disintegrate or fall apart or something? I don’t know what you think. But I don’t see those signs.
“But I see signs of growth, optimism and I see that to minimise the challenges that you have, in this life, you have to keep on keeping on and I think the future is quite bright.”
Entwistle added that if the Federal Government did what would need to be done in the coming years, especially as pertaining to “security, corruption and all of these things,” the future of Nigeria would be “very bright.”
He debunked the insinuation that the President Barack Obama administration has imposed “an arms embargo” on Nigeria following the reported refusal of the American government to sell Cobra helicopters to the Federal Government to prosecute the ongoing war against terrorism.
Citing human rights considerations for the development, Entwistle hinted that the US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, was “still talking about a number of other types of equipment and different types of helicopters that might be more appropriate” for the Nigerian military services.
Respecting human rights among the civilian population, he argued, should not be an impediment to fighting terrorism in the three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
Meanwhile, reports have it that thousands of Nigerians have been trooping into the neighbouring Ghana to take refuge as they feared that the 2015 election would dovetail into unimaginable crisis that could divide the country.
According to the President of the All Nigerian Community in Ghana, Moses Owaru, the influx of Nigerians into Ghana over the past few weeks can also be attributed to the general security challenges facing the country.
“Nigerians are coming to Ghana; yes I agree that the rate has increased a little bit but the issue of security in Nigeria – the Boko Haram is also making people come to Ghana,” he explained.
According to him, many Nigerian students are also coming to Ghana to study at the various tertiary institutions.
“Some students are also coming to Ghana so I wouldn’t say that it’s just because of the election that is why they are coming to Ghana,” he remarked.
Owaru indicated that the security situation in Nigeria is likely to escalate during and after the elections which is why some Nigerians “wish to come to Ghana to stay till the election is over.”
He said that since the Nigerian community in Ghana is expected to grow during this period, its leadership will “organize programmes to sensitize both the contestants in Nigeria and the Nigerians who are living in Ghana and even those who are coming.”
“It is to help them know how to comport themselves. They must live by the law and make sure they understand the environment they are coming in,” he added.
Reacting to the influx of Nigerians into Ghana, the Director of Operations at the Ghana Police Service, COP John Kudalor said that the Police are adequately prepared to address any security challenge that may arise due to the impending Nigerian elections.
“We have put in place measures and patrolling. I am sure very soon, NADMO will get in touch with us. Meanwhile, we are making our security arrangements to make sure that if anything unforeseen happens, we will be able to contain it,” he assured.
According to him, the Ghana Police Service is on high alert due to the existing security situation in the sub-region.
“It’s not only in Nigeria, it’s a sub-regional issue with very important dimensions but we will make adequate preparations,” he said.
COP Kudalor further disclosed that from November 2014, his outfit began preparations “and during the Christmas operations, that was also in mind.” [myad]
