Former US Secretary State and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff of the American Armed Forces, General Colin Powell (rtd), has revealed that on the night the late General Sani Abacha was to overthrow the Interim National Government (ING), headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, he was informed at 2 a.m.
Powell said he had protested against the decision, but was ignored by the late head of state.
Powell, who had supervised American involvement in 28 conflicts around the world including the Panama intervention, and Persian Gulf Operation Desert Storm, also noted that Nigerians do not trust their leaders.
He said many do not consider the current Nigeria democracy as that of the people.
Powell made these remarks in his speech during the breakfast meeting organised by Tell Communications Limited (publishers of Tell Magazine) to mark Nigeria's 10 years of unbroken democracy (May 1999 - May 2009).
"I have watched as someone who sees and believes in the great potential of Nigeria as an economic power and a political leader in the region and the world- as someone who wants to see that potential realised," said Powell.
"Yes, I have seen the turmoil", he added. "Shortly after I retired from the Army in 1993, I began getting letters from Sani Abacha, telling me of the problems in Nigeria," he told the audience. "His letters were disturbing, and foreboding," he added.
He continued: "Then, late one night, around 2 a.m, I got a phone call from him at my home that the situation, in his view had become so bad that he had to act.
Said he: "I pleaded with him not to, that America and the world would not understand and would react badly. He did not listen, and you know the rest of that story."
Powell said in 1999 he was part of the election monitoring team in Nigeria and had a profound experience.
He regretted that by all independent accounts he had seen the irregularities and corruption seen in subsequent elections is deeply troubling, adding that there is a real danger, that the will of the people is not being determined, but instead is being manipulated and pushed aside in the quest for power.
Vice-President Dr Goodluck Jonathan who also spoke at the event where he represented President Umar Yar'Adua said the government was committed towards ensuring that the votes of Nigerians count in all future elections.
Jonathan stated that part of what the nation was celebrating was the successful transition of one civilian government to another.
According to him: " This is the first time the nation's parliament has been in place for 10 years although the judiciary and executive existed throughout the period of military rule."
He further observed that Nigerian politicians had a tendency of challenging results of elections whenever they lost, noting that there was need for stability if the nation's democracy would grow. The Vice-President enjoined the mass media to be more balanced in its reporting of political events in the country.
Said he : "It is not in all cases that the ruling party is on the wrong side during political developments in the country" .
He cited the fraudulent manner in which state independent electoral commissions conduct local government polls in different states of the country where parties in power always swept the polls. He however regretted that the trend never attracted the attention of the media which only preferred bashing the Independent Electoral Commission ( INEC).
Said he: "If we cannot correct the rot at the lowest level, then it would be cumbersome to do same at the top" .
Also, speaking at the event was Justice George Oguntade, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, who described the existence of the current 36 states structure as a drain pipe to the economy, and advocated that some states be merged.
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I think Powell hit the hammer on the head. I was not surprised knowing that he and other Americans of his ilk do not suffer fools gladly. Tell., thank you for inviting him.
I worship the ground that Collin Powell Work on.I was upset how the Republican Party used him to convey a false aligation on Irag wapon of Mass destruction.I love him so much because he tells you like it is.I hope Nigerian Govt. Or PDP dominated Govt will learn something from him.Thank you sir for saying the truth and may god continue to bless you
Here we go again - Idol worshipping, ass-lickers. The same Powell that tagged "all nigerians are corrupt" thereby giving the western media the carte blanche to tar the entire nation of Nigeria, instead of naming the individual Nigerians that are corrupt. Up till now, a fellow "African" American (1st) US Attorney General is yet to release the names of Nigerian govt officials bribed-takers involved in the Halliburton scandal. It is one thing to label ALL NIGERIANS as corrupt, it is another to continue to protect those corrupt elements from been exposed so they can continue to steal and stash our scarce resources in Weestern banks. You two-faced liars.
"Jonathan stated that part of what the nation was celebrating was the successful transition of one civilian government to another VP Good luck.
No Mr. VP Good luck what we are supposed to be Celebrating not what we are celebrating because the election that brought your administration to power was rigged and corrupted. It was a civilian coup instead of military.
Ghana has set the example of how African leaders could concede election defeat instead of win at all cost. Nigerians do not have respect for their leaders as observed my Gen. Powell because they are corrupt and stole the Will of the people using the Army and Police to perfect their machination. In a nutshell Sec. Powell is making it obvious why President Obama dumped Nigeria but would visit Ghana.
Geez! You keep repeating this paternalistic idea of comparing Ghana to Nigeria as if we are "primary school kids" that need role-models identified by the "headmaster." Even Mr. Obama mentioned it in his Egypt address yesterday that no country (US included) can dictate for other countries, who and how they are to be governed. Until Nigerians wake up to determine their own future, please stop insulting our intelligence any further with this unconscionable role-model gamut. No tin-god is going to come down & solve your problem for you. If democratic role-modeling is on Mr. Obama's agenda, why did he pick autocratic Egypt and Saudi Arabia - the 2 nationalities that perpetrated the 911 atrocities on America, instead of democratic Indonesia. Why did Bush invaded Iraq & Afghanistan, and not Saudi Arabia & Egypt? Nigerians' inferiority complex is galling, sometimes. If you are still a baby that needs spoon feeding, I urge you to please grow up, fast, to global real-politick, you ignoramus.
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