allAfrica.com * Africom - Maduekwe Clarifies Nigeria's Stand This Day (Lagos) NEWS 17 December 2007 Posted to the web 17 December 2007 By From Chuks Okocha and Christopher Isiguzo in Abakaliki with agency reports Abuja The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, yesterday in Washington DC, said that Nigeria did not endorse the presence of the US African Military Command (AFRICOM) on the continent. "Nigeria's position on AFRICOM remains that African governments have the sovereign responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security on the continent," Maduekwe sai d. Maduekwe's clarification is coming on the heels of reactions from various quarters, with the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Action Congress (AC) condemning in no u ncertainterms, President Umaru Yar'Adua's affirmation of partnership with the US on AFRICOM. In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Minister said that the decision was "in the context of the proposed African Union (AU) Stand-by Force". In this regard, the need for support and assistance by Africa's development partners, such as the US in the provision of training, funding and logistics for African military was duly acknowledged," he sa id.He noted that "President Yar'Adua's statement on the proposed AFRICOM is consistent with Nigeria's well-known position on the necessity for Africa to avail itself of opportunities for enhanced capacity for the promotion of peace and security in Africa". Maduekwe said that Yar'Adua and President George Bush held fruitful discussions on several issues including AFRICOM during their meeting at the White House. "During the meeting, both presidents reaffirmed the need for closer strategic relationship between the two countries in the area of human infrastructure development, trade diversification, culture and security," he said. The National Council of State had on November 19 rejected the establishment and hosting of the command. In separate statements by CNPP's National PublicitySecretary, Osita Okechukwu and AC spokesman, LaiMohammed, they described the President's position as a violation of the sovereignty of Nigeria. In its own comment, AC said President Yar'Adua would be elevating ex pediencyover Nigeria's sovereignty, if indeed "his apparentlyarm-twisted endorsement of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) were tr ue. The party said such a "volte face would be con demnable,especially since the AC has it on good authority thatPresident Yar'Adua succumbed to the allure of US recognition of his illegitimate administration inendorsing the controversial AFRICOM". The spectre of a President who will do anything tohang onto power, no matter how illegitimatelyobtained, is saddening and it is definitely not th estuff of which great leaders are made", AC said. The party said the tepid denial of the endorsement b ythe President, in an interview with the Hausa Serviceof the Voice Of America, (VOA) was not enough to mitigate the confusion created by the reported White House endorsement. According to CNPP. "In our considered view, President Yar'Adua by this affirmation has embracedneo-colonialism and imperialism, against the wishes of Nigerians, the position of the National Council of States and at variance with the foreign policyobjectives, as enshrined in section 19 of the 1999 Constitution. CNPP said it regards this as "the height ofrevisionism, coming unfortunately 46 years after Nigerians renounced the Anglo-Defence-Pact, that anofficial of Nigerian state, in this instance apresident, because of self survival to legitimise theillegality of the sham election that brought him topower, wittingly or unwittingly trade-off ou rsovereignty. "Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory , (FCT), Senator Anthony Agbo also expressed his opposition to the reported declaration of Nigeria's willingness to partner with US on AFRICOM. Senator Agbo also stated that any attempt to establish a United State military base in the country, "which is the main target", would not only spell doom for Nigeria but would automatically grant the US an unrestricted access to spy on the nation's security apparatus. He advised President Yar'Adua to thread cautiously in the entire partnership, noting that before such proposal could be accepted, it should first be presented to the National Assembly, in order to ensure that all the "pros and cons" are weighed". --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2007 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------