Written by SaharaReporters, New York Wednesday, 23 June 2010 09:20
Nigeria's president left for the G8 economic summit in Canada last night with a huge delegation of 140 comprising officials and hangers-on. Last week Saharareporters broke the news that Jonathan had planned to travel with a delegation of 200 people. The expose compelled the protocol department at the presidency to reduce the numbers, but our sources said over 60 extra visa applications could not be treated because they were “incomplete.” Nigeria is one of the six African countries invited to the summit as observers, but Jonathan's delegation will be the largest of all the countries attending the event in the small resort town of Muskoka near Toronto.
It will also be bigger than all the other African countries put together. The other African nations attending are coming with manageable delegations of about 15-20 in size, but the Nigerian delegation is already causing security nightmare for the Canadian government since Nigeria was recently designated by the US as one of the 14 countries being watched over issues of terrorism.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Professor Hagher, who was a staunch Abacha supporter, is also coordinating a series of "events" relating to enable Jonathan meet with Nigerians of the government -run Nigerian In Diaspora Organization (NIDO). It will be recalled that two years ago, Nigerians in Canada successfully picketed the Nigerian independence anniversary celebrations there, forcing the Ambassador to stay indoors.
After lavishly enriching the town of Muskoka, Jonathan’s circus will head for London, where another set of 120 officials will join the 140 from Canada in a new foreign and economic policy that is heavy on spending and political patronage.
Analysts say Saharareporters that Jonathan's jamborees have more to do with his lack of grasp of how to run Nigeria since assuming power a few months ago, first as the "Acting president" and later as substantive president when his predecessor died in office.
“It is ridiculous that he continues to assemble these large groups for foreign travel even in a summit where we are only an observer,” one such analyst said in Abuja. “This means he is trying to reward many people, most of whom have no contribution to the essence of a business trip. It also means he has no conception of what it is to manage our fragile economy, as he appears to be running a government of free travel and easy estacode? How in the world can he hope to find respect within the international community if he is squandering funds he should be using for development?”
Jonathan plans to run as president in the 2011 elections, a move a political source says is driving his policy and activities, including offering wide-ranging favors with state resources to attract political “support.” But the move is also causing a serious schism within his ruling PDP, as well as creating doubts in international circles that the next elections will be free and fair as he has continued to promise.
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