A journalist with the Wall Street Journal, Joe Parkinson has stated the certain key officials within the Muhammadu Buhari Administration are ‘worried’ over Joe Biden’s emergence as President of the United states in the just concluded elections.
Parkinson, in a series of tweets on Sunday, disclosed that the officials’ concerns are linked to cases of human rights, #EndSARS protests, and weapon sales.
“Nigeria’s president was one of the first African leaders to congratulate Biden but privately, some of his key advisors were hoping for a Trump victory and are worried. The reasons are quite simple and are linked — human rights, the #EndSARS protests, and weapon sales.”
“This photo was taken in Washington in 2015 when Buhari was toast of the town—the old General’s “new broom” would sweep away corruption and (far more important to US) beat back Boko Haram. It was Biden who actually greeted Buhari at the White House that day before he met Obama…”
“In those meetings Obama promised the Nigerians a bunch of fresh military aid to fight the war & find the Chibok girls (some was made public, much of it not). BUT the US stopped short of giving the Nigerians what they really wanted—attack aircraft—because of human rights concerns.”
“It was the Trump administration—considerably less bothered by human rights issues—who agreed to sell Super Tucanos for $600m and later, attack helicopters, that Nigeria has long hoped would be the game changer in the fight against Boko Haram.That sale—while mostly paid for—is not yet complete. Ironically, senior State Department officials were staying at the Abuja Hilton in October to finalise the details while #EndSARS protesters were on the streets in Nigerian cities. And therein lies the problem for Buhari…”
“The Biden campaign released a statement two days before the Trump administration after the military crackdown at Lekki toll gate. It went much further, saying “The US must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating.”
“The heady days of 2015 when Buhari was seen by Obama & Biden as the man who would fight a quick and victorious war against Boko Haram are long gone. The war has metastasised. Northeast Nigeria has become the base of one of Islamic State’s most successful regional franchises—ISWAP. So… President Biden may be much less welcoming to Buhari; much more skeptical about selling weapons to Nigeria’s military and much more forthright in criticising any crackdown on protests. That’s why, despite the tweets, some at the top of the Buhari administration are nervous.”
No question about Joe Parkinson’s view. Biden is not going to overlook Buhari’s fraudulent dealings with West of pretending to fight Boko Haram, while aiding them. Or, the whole idea of fighting corruption when he wouldn’t even declare his assets (just like Trump). Buhari’s record on human rights has been laid bare for the world. Buhair is a friend of the Saudis and so is Trump, Saudis were able to persuade Trump to sell the war planes to Buhari.
The Americans are generally not interested in the Nigeria insurgency because it is wholesomely an African affair (Chad, Cameron,Niger and Nigeria). The so called giant, Nigeria, that should lead is not leading because of corruption as the war is treated as a Cash Cow. Also, the West is watching Nigeria very closely as religion and ethnic cleansing has taken the lead . God helps those who help themselves.