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Raila tries to involve Nigeria in talks Story by Tony Eluemunor, SUNDAY NATION CORRESPONDENT, West Africa Publication Date: 2/24/2008
Nigeria may have been urged to quietly join the efforts to return peace to Kenya.
In an unannounced visit, ODM leader Raila Odinga held private talks with Nigeria’s immediate past President, Olusegun Obasanjo, asking him to urge President Umaru Yar’Adua to bring Nigeria’s might to bear on the disputants in Kenya to embrace peace by reaching a quick accord.
Though full details of his visit were being kept top secret, as the meeting was unannounced, sources said Mr Obasanjo’s efforts to arrange a meeting between Mr Odinga and President Yar’Adua failed.
According to a source close to Mr Obasanjo, all through Friday, Mr Odinga remained in Otta, near Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, as he got no approval to visit Abuja for an audience with Yar’Adua.
Few details have emerged on why President Yar’Adua would not have audience with him for now.
First, Mr Obasanjo did not clear with the President before inviting Mr Odinga. So the right protocols were not followed. Secondly, the Nigerian President would not want to be siding with anyone , so it would only hold talks with a side in the crisis if it has plans to also meet with the other.
Also, Nigeria has not made peace moves independent of the African Union, another source added. It is unlikely that Mr Obasanjo would join the former UN boss, Mr Kofi Annan, in the peace negotiations.
Mr Obasanjo’s failed attempt to elongate his tenure by arm-twisting the National Assembly to grant him a constitutional amendment failed last year.
After that, he presided over a terribly flawed election, that was globally condemned. Were it not for this, Mr Obasanjo could have helped solve the Kenyan problem.
