Cold war over Ghadafi’s United States of Africa

GHADAFFI OF LIBYA. YARADUA OF NIGERIA


By Yusuf Alli, ManagingEditor, Northern Operation:


Fresh facts emerged yesterday that President Yar’Adua decision to go on a two-week leave was partly to avoid being part of the election of Libyan President, Col. Muammar Ghadafi, as the Chairman of the African Union, AU.

Ghadafi was elected as the 53rd AU chairman on Monday. Some African leaders are uncomfortable with his choice.

It was learnt that President Yar’Adua was one of those opposed to the choice of Ghadafi because of the radical profile of the Libyan President and his ambitious United States of Africa project.

Highly-placed sources confided in our correspondent yesterday that Yar’Adua decided to go on vacation "as a clever way of avoiding the African Union summit having learnt that Ghadafi was going to be elected chairman.

According to one of the sources, the Ethiopian Visa for the President and that of his aides had been processed before the change of mind by Yar’Adua.

"As a matter of fact members of the Presidential entourage were all ready and an advanced team was already on ground in Addis Ababa before the vacation was announced.

"There had been a prior commitment by the President to attend the summit before the vacation issue came up. Although the President is on a working leave, he could still have attended the AU summit if not for the disagreement with Ghadafi."

Asked of the details of the disagreement, a top Foreign Affairs official said, "I think it has to do with flamboyance and reckless spending of the Libyan President at AU gathering.

"So far, out of African leaders only three—President Yar’Adua, former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi – had always resented the "excesses" of Ghadafi who usually attends AU session with millions of dollars.

"Ghadaffi used to mesmerise some African leaders who usually line up in his flamboyant and expansive tent.
The source also said the "President felt that with Mbeki out of the equation, Ghadafi was most likely going to have a field day in Addis Ababa with regards to the issue of United States of Africa.

"Yar’Adua had believed United States of Africa could be decreed into existence by Ghadaffi without resistance from those who are taking his money and the President did not want to be part of that charade.
"Yar’Adua belongs to the group of African leaders who have consistently argued that as desirous as the United States of Africa proposition is, it can only evolve after a process and not something leaders can gather in one forum to pronounce as Ghadafi seems to believe.

"Yar’Adua had argued at last year’s meeting in Addis Ababa that he for instance has no power to come to cede Nigerian sovereignty away without the people of the country agreeing to such a proposal and the necessary amendment effected in the constitution.

"He was also said to have posed the question to his colleagues whether any of them could cede the sovereignty of their country and it was learnt that only Senegalese President Wade responded that he could cede the sovereignty of his country because the constitution of Senegal grants him such power."
Sources also claimed that Ghadafi and Yar’Adua have not had a good relationship.

One of the sources added: "Things worsened recently when, following a coup in Guinea , Ghadafi was instigating the plotters at a time Yar’Adua as ECOWAS Chairman had taken a hard-line posture against the military leaders.

Contacted on why Yar’Adua avoided the AU summit because of Ghadaffi, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, said there was no such thing.
He confirmed that the President was aware, a few weeks to the summit, that Ghadafi was likely going to be elected AU Chairman.

He added: "President Yar’Adua can live with that."
Adeniyi, who said Yar’Adua has no problem with Ghadafi, admitted that the two leaders hold different views on several issues, including how a United States of Africa can come into existence.

He said: "I recall that it was in Ghana two years ago, during the heated debate on this same issue, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia put the matter very clearly. He said while all African leaders desire to have a United States of Africa, there are two schools of thought as to how such could happen.

"He said there is one school that believes a house should be built from foundation and another that believes you build a house from the roof. President Yar’Adua belongs to the first school because he is well aware that a United States of Africa is not something you achieve by the mere pronouncement of one man.

"But as I said, it will be incorrect to say President Yar’Adua went on vacation to avoid Ghadafi. He wishes the new AU Chairman well and looks forward to meeting him at the mid-year summit in June or July.
"The President is well aware, as all African leaders are, that United States of Africa will take efforts and sincerity of purpose to achieve and will not happen just because someone wants to be addressed as President of Africa."