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December 2018/January 2019 A publication of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria CROSSROADS BUILDING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS The 2019 Elections CROSSROADS | December 2018/January 2019 1 Assistant Secretary of State Visit to Nigeria November 7-8, 2018 Assistant Secretary (AS) of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy delivers a lecture to AS Tibor Nagy receives a gift presented by the leadership of ECOWAS students and faculty of Baze University, Abuja following acourtesy visit to the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja AS Tibor Nagy met with the leadership of the All Progressive Party - Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi and AS Tibor Nagy addresses members of the press Deputy National Chairman (south), Otunba Niyi Adebayo during a press roundtable at Baze University, Abuja Ambassador Symington and AS Tibor Nagy hosted AS Tibor Nagy met with the leadership of the People’s Democraic Party - leaders of American business to a dinner meeting Senate president, Bukola Saraki and party chairman, Prince Uche Secondus AMBASSADOR’S NOTES In this issue, we describe some of the that is the electoral process. No ways we’ve partnered with Nigerians individual ambition, no political party’s to achieve that goal. We have engaged aspirations, are worth more than the with the Nigerian government, key right of citizens to freely choose who election stakeholders, political leaders, will represent them. civil society representatives, and members of the voting public. Our There are many stakeholders in this only candidate is the process itself. election. The most important are the Our goal is your goal: a process that voters themselves. Every eligible voter, is transparent, credible, free, fair, and registered with INEC and in possession peaceful. Elections that reflect the true of a Permanent Voters Card, has a will of the Nigerian people. responsibility to peacefully ensure that their vote is cast, counted, and W. Stuart Symington The recent visit to Nigeria of Assistant collated. When you do this, along with U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Secretary of State for African every other citizen in your community Affairs, Tibor Nagy, highlighted our and across the country, no bad actors Welcome to another edition of commitment. During his two-day will hijack the process and steal your Crossroads. visit, he met with the chairman of future. In doing this, you will act as the Independent National Electoral responsible custodians of Nigeria’s As the people of Nigeria approach Commission, the Sultan of Sokoto, future, and that will ensure a more free their general elections next year, all and the leadership of Nigeria’s most and prosperous world, benefitting all of us at the U.S. Mission look forward prominent political parties, among of us. to witnessing an electoral process others. The key message he shared that surpasses the success of the with everyone he met is that, as I Enjoy the read. 2015 elections, which were widely said above, America favors only one considered peaceful, free, and fair. candidate in these elections – and W. Stuart Symington Vol. 22 No. 4 is publishedCROSSROADS quarterly by the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Nigeria In This Issue... EDITORIAL TEAM Cover story Aruna Amirthanayagam Rooting For (Counselor for Public Affairs) Nigerians Russell Brooks Pg 4 (Public Affairs Officer, Lagos) Pg 10 Glenn Guimond (Press Attaché) Olaoluwa Aworinde Osun Not Too (Editor & photographer) Elections Young Address all correspondence to: To Run The Editor, Crossroads Magazine Pg 7 Pg 13 Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central Business Area, Abuja, Nigeria The YALI Tel: (09) 461-4000. Fax: 09-461-4305 ATS Makoko LAGOS OFFICE: U.S. Consulate General, Public Affairs Pg 8 2, Walter Carington Crescent, Lagos Pg 14 Tel.: +234-703-150-4867/2444 Refreshed & The E-mail: [email protected] Prepared Website: nigeria.usembassy.gov Citizen’s Follow us on: Platform Pg 9 Pg 18 CROSSROADS | December 2018/January 2019 3 COVER STORY L - R: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commisioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy and Ambassador Symington speak to journalists during a press conference 4 CROSSROADS | December 2018/January 2019 BUILDING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS The 2019 Elections by Mirna Torres igeria’s 2015 general supports that goal. As an impartial elections were the most free, observer, and a strong supporter of fair and peaceful elections an unbiased electoral process, the since the transition to U.S. seeks enhanced voter confidence democracyN in 1999, and resulted in in the credibility of their elections. the first democratic transfer of power Minimizing electoral violence is from the incumbent to an opposition another shared concern, and is critical political party in the country’s history. to evolving a robust, stable, and The United States is eager to support prosperous Nigerian democracy. Nigeria in consolidating and extending these democratic gains as it holds Nigeria deserves a free, fair, its next elections for president, vice transparent, credible, and peaceful president, National Assembly members, electoral process, one that serves governors, deputy governors, and State national cohesion and stability, and Houses of Assembly in 2019. leads to even stronger democratic institutions. To that end, U.S. Mission The people of Nigeria are working Nigeria is working with other members to build ever stronger democratic of the diplomatic community, members institutions. The United States of civil society, the Independent Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria National Electoral Commission (INEC), CROSSROADS | December 2018/January 2019 5 In addition to high-level engagement with INEC officials to discuss INEC’s preparation and implementations plans for the 2019 elections, U.S. officials have also met with political leaders, civil society representatives and traditional leaders to discuss concerns about political violence and encourage politicians to make public peace pledges. U.S. representatives have advocated for interventions that enfranchise as many legitimate voters as possible, including women, youth, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and people with disabilities. A Vote Not Fight volunteer supports the Recognizing the need for an election U.S position for free, season in which violence does not call fair, transparent and into question electoral credibility, does inclusive elections in not impede the ability of citizens to 2019 peacefully participate in the electoral process, or threaten the stability of the country, Mission Nigeria has engaged and members of political parties key political actors to refrain from with like-minded ambassadors to stress to promote credible and peaceful violence and to offer voters a clear the need for peaceful elections. elections. vision coupled with detailed policies to move the state forward. Senior Since the media plays a crucial role in U.S. Engagement with Key Election U.S. officials have also met with providing accurate information to help Stakeholders election stakeholders to emphasize citizens make their decisions, the U.S. the importance of proficiently run Mission has given support to Nigerian Given Nigeria’s political and economic elections. To that end the Mission journalists. It has provided elections importance within Africa and the has supported INEC in its efforts related information and workshops to world, it is critically important that in modernizing and increasing the members of the press - from television, its upcoming elections serve as a capabilities of its personnel. radio, newspapers, and online democratic example. During the platforms – from all across Nigeria. past year, the U.S. Mission has urged The workshops have stressed the importance of fact-based, balanced and unbiased reporting. The Mission has also consistently advocated against any attempts to silence journalists, online activists, and bloggers and/or suppress peaceful assembly and protest. Looking Forward to the 2019 Elections President Muhammadu Buhari (APC), will face former vice president Atiku Abubakar (PDP) in a hotly contested election. Will the polling show that the democratic process of 2015 was the new normal, or only an aberration in Nigeria’s historically-troubled political evolution? For this bellwether country, the continent’s largest and richest democracy, the 2019 elections will Deputy Chief of Mission, David test the government’s commitment Young led the U.S. observation team to transparency and democratic during the Osun state elections institutions. 6 CROSSROADS | December 2018/January 2019 U.S.-NIGERIA RELATIONS The 2018 Osun Elections and Nigeria’s Greatest Resource by Benjamin Williams mbassador Symington Society Situation Room, the CLEEN observers from many different CSOs, has said many times that Foundation, among many others. Nigerian domestic observers covered Nigeria’s greatest resource is far more ground than our international not its vast oil reserves, nor For our part, the United States sent observer missions ever could. Nigerian itsA large mineral deposits, but its people 52 Mission personnel to Osun for the domestic observers not only did their – Nigeria’s amazing human resources. September 22 election. Forming eight part by watching polling units, thus To me, this was nowhere more evident teams, our international observer warding off foul play on Election Day. than in the September 22 off-cycle mission crisscrossed the state on They also observed vote counting gubernatorial
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