US joins Britain to back Jonathan amid fear

Britain and the United States offered support to Nigerian Acting President Goodluck Jonathan Friday after the return of Nigeria's ailing leader prompted fears of a power struggle in Africa's most populous nation.

The former colonial ruler and the United States had, like many Nigerians, feared the surprise arrival of President Umaru Yar'Adua Wednesday after three months in a Saudi hospital could lead to confusion and government deadlock.

Britain welcomed a statement from Yar'Adua's spokesman on Thursday that Jonathan would keep full powers and remain commander in chief until the recovery of Yar'Adua, 58, who is still too frail to rule the major oil exporter.

“It is important to avoid uncertainty at this time,” Britain's ambassador, Bob Dewar, said in a statement.

“It is also important at this time to avoid any political or constitutional confusion that could put at risk the integrity and transparency needed in the conduct of public affairs,” Dewar said, offering support to Jonathan and the government.

U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley underscored Washington's continued support for Jonathan, and cautioned other Nigerian political factions not to use Yar'Adua's return to destabilize the country.

“We are concerned that his return is not an effort by his senior advisers to upset Nigeria's stability in an effort to forward their own personal interests,” Crowley told reporters.

“We have tremendous concern about stability and our message to all of the players in Nigeria is make sure this moves forward in a stable, constitutional and democratic way.”

Jonathan assumed executive powers on February 9, ending months of state paralysis and allowing him to set priorities such as an amnesty for rebels in the oil-producing Niger Delta, restoring power supplies and preparing for elections.

Any return to uncertainty could again hold up decision-making in the country of 140 million and risk a surge of attacks by militants who have in the past shut in as much of a third of the OPEC member's oil output.

via US joins Britain to back Jonathan amid fear.

Written by Uche Ofoma on Feb 27 2010 Filed under Recent News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry