It appears Nigerian soldiers are craving for their pastime, as the United States warned it would severe relations with Nigeria if the military staged any coup now. The US said current political problems were not enough to support the truncation of Nigeria's democracy under any guise.
Washington told the military point-blank it must allow democracy to blossom in Nigeria, declaring that any attempt to subvert the democratic process in the country through a possible coup would be unacceptable to it.
It was not clear why the United States would all of a sudden pick the subject and emphatically talk to the military in so clear terms, but it was certainly communicating directly with the military another military rule in would not be acceptable.
In most cases, Western diplomatic missions in Nigeria know about military coups before they are staged, and ensure the safety of the citizens before, during and after such tension-soaked political change. The US did not make any disclosure of what it had heard, but made no pretence about what it would do.
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, who spoke to journalists in Lagos on political trends and other sundry issues in Nigeria, asserted that they were not sufficient enough to warrant a coup.
To those who may be contemplating such action, the U.S. said that Nigeria was not the right place for them. In the event of its warning being ignored by such persons, America threatened that it would not hesitate to review the existing cordial relations between the two countries.
The envoy, who expressed concern over the recent bomb blasts in some states in Nigeria and mudslinging among various political aspirants, insisted that such acts were not serious enough to warrant any military incursion into the polity.
"Any military coup in Nigeria will not be acceptable. In fact, there is no possibility of that happening after eight years of civilian democracy. But if there were a military coup, there would be a different texture in the bilateral ties between the two countries," he said.
Campbell added: "Any coup against the rule of law will not be acceptable. The rule of law is very important."
He assured that the U.S. would continue to assist Nigeria to strengthen its democratic structures and the rule of law.
To underscore U.S. commitment to a peaceful transition next year, the envoy said his country had so far spent a total of $15 million on Nigeria's electoral process.
He observed that the lapses in the voters' registration exercise in the country were not peculiar as events have proven so all over the world, including the U.S.
Campbell recalled that the introduction of the voting machines during the mid-term elections in the U.S. also posed some challenges to the country but said as a friend of Nigeria, the U.S., if called upon for assistance, would point out its own experience on how such challenges were tackled.
The envoy again ruled out the possible deployment of U.S. marines in the volatile Niger Delta region, saying such decisions had never been contemplated.
"Nobody has asked the U.S. to establish military presence in the area or what such military presence would accomplish in the region," he said.
He added that Washington would accede to any legal requests by Abuja on fugitive politicians wanted over alleged looting or other crimes now and even after next year's polls.
"The relationship between U.S. and Nigeria is multifaceted and goes beyond political. Both are fellow pilgrims on the road to democracy that is conducted on the rule of law.
"Americans, a wide range of them, will be watching the registration and polling process with interest and sympathy. It is the U.S. policy to support Nigeria in the registration and polling process," he said.
Campbell, who lauded the government's crusade against corruption, stressed that "Americans as friends of Nigeria, would assist the country in whatever way and capacity if asked to do so.
"Americans will be paying closer attention to what happens on April 14 and 21 next year and to celebrate on May 29 with Nigeria over the peaceful transition of a civilian government to another. The last eight years have proved extraordinary and accomplishment for this government," he stated.
Campbell lauded President Olusegun Obasanjo for taking Nigeria out of the pariah nation to play a central and indispensable international role in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU) and the world at large.
The envoy who extolled the country's role in the return of peace to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and now Darfur, also praised the government's macro-economic reforms, which he said had laid the foundation for addressing issues such as poverty.
He added that such groundwork had become a beacon for other countries in Africa and other developing nations.
Commending the country's eighth year journey in democracy, Campbell said the April elections would determine Nigeria's continued journey to democracy conducted on the rule of law.
"Democracy and rule of law require constant attention and painstaking efforts at getting things right."
He added that U.S. was assisting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the actual structure of registration and polling, and the various political parties to develop strong political structures, train election observers and boost voters' education.
