Nigeria, US Explore Ways To Consolidate Energy Security

The National Security Advisor, Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd.) has returned to Nigeria after a visit to the United States for talks which aimed at revitalizing the strategic relationship between Nigeria and the US, even as Nigeria prepares to enter a season of intense pre-election activity.

The Tide learnt that Gen. Gusau held talks with key State Department, intelligence, and National Security Council officials, in Washington, DC, between May 18 and 21, 2010, which focused on Nigeria’s growing centrality to US — and European — energy security.

 The visit also highlighted the centrality of Gen. Mohammed Gusau to the international community’s concerns about ensuring the stability of Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea energy producing zone.

The US now gets some 21 per cent of its hydrocarbon imports from the Gulf of Guinea, and Nigeria, as the biggest supplier and biggest state in the region, is now strategically “more important than Saudi Arabia” to the US, according to several US officials.

 Many US and European leaders cite the re-appointment of Gen. Gusau, and, lately, as national security advisor began the turning point in rebuilding trust and stability in Nigeria.

One US official told The Tide source that: “The US, just a few years ago, would have been happy to have a weak, compliant leader in charge in Nigeria.

 “Today, that is absolutely no longer sufficient; in fact, it is even dangerous. We learned that in Kyrgyzstan, when we encouraged the removal of a strong, pro-American leader [Pres. Askar Akaev] to put a weak leader in place, someone we thought we could control or dominate. That did not work out.

“What is critical for us is for Nigeria — perhaps our most important resource supply ally — to be led by someone who can absolutely deliver a stable society which is prosperous and productive. The US, in its present condition, can no longer afford to have weak allies. And Gen. Gusau is both an ally of the West and a decisive, patriotic leader.”

 There was considerable speculation that the visit enabled a number of key US officials to raise the question as to whether Gen. Gusau would seek to contest the Nigerian Presidency in the 2011 elections, given the knowledge that he declined to accept President Goodluck Jonathan’s invitation for him to become his vice president, in an administration that is serving out the remainder of the term of office of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who died on May 5, 2010.

 Gen. Gusau has been noncommittal in his responses to these questions and has been unwilling to confirm whether he would contest or not. 

One US Administration source said: “The situation in Nigeria only began to stabilize when Gen. Gusau was recalled as national security advisor by Jonathan. All of the team which has been put in place to address security, corruption, and good governance issues is really there because of him.”

Nelson Chukwudi