Americans objected to live-coverage Bush arrival in Nigeria

[dArKeR]

The American President arrived the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport at about 8.30p.m. and was received by  President Olusegun Obasanjo and a few government officials.

There was no elaborate welcome ceremony for him at the airport as the government  has deferred  the ceremony till  today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

American security personnel already in Nigeria objected to live-coverage of their visiting president,  George Bush, to Nigeria.

The Nigerian Ministry of Information, had made adequate arrangements for live-coverage for both government and private television stations but the American security officers kicked against it.

This development might have frustrated the initial plans by the ministry to enable Nigerians to watch President  Bush’s historic visit in their homes, live.

Initially, it generated some controversy before the ministry succumbed to the US demand that the event should not be covered live.

http://www.nigerian-tribune.com/
URL Keeper on or my browser screwed, can’t link directly. 1st story down right column.

Why not live coverage Russert/Fineman?
http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[Gloria]

1. I might have the reason....check the latest WMW for an article

about Nigeria...how this Pres. Obasajano RIGGED and STOLE the elction (sound familiar??) which the US observers decried and Bush's public handshaking legitimizes him in the eyes of the world, even though he is illegitimate. Nigeria also was against the war in Iraq....and got its military aid cut. However, they do have that black, oozy stuff...By the way, one Pres. elected by dubious means meeting another would get tongues wagging??


ON edit...here's the snippet

4//The Mail and Guardian 10 July 2003 09:11

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=16966



ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Dave Clark, Lagos

Sapa-AFP



The last stage of US President George Bush's first tour of Africa will be a politically risky foray into the troubled world of Africa's number one oil producer: Nigeria.

His visit is seen as an endorsement of President Olusegun Obasanjo, just three months after he was re-elected in a poll which US observers said was marred by "obvious premeditated electoral manipulation".

Relations between Washington and Abuja have gone through a bumpy patch recently, with Nigeria opposing the war in Iraq and the US Congress cutting military aid in protest over the massacre of several hundred villagers.

But when Bush steps out onto the tarmac at Abuja airport on Friday and gives Obasanjo his all important handshake photo opportunity it will be seen as a signal that US-Nigerian ties are back on track.

Professor Bola Akinterinwa of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs said that despite the fierce criticism of his election victory at home, Obasanjo still enjoys uncritical support abroad.

MORE

[leQ]

3. doesn't halliburton have a presence there?

seems they were in the news a few months back.. lost nuke material or somethin. i'd have to check. but nigeria is in the pockets of the bfee. there's action behind the scenes, you can bet on that.

[wtmusic]

2. Nah, they're meeting him later anyway

they're worried about someone seeing it on TV live and knowing where Bush was at right at that moment.

I guess maybe Bush has made some enemies along the way.

[catzies]

4. Making enemies is SOP for the BFEE

:nuke:

[Spoon]

5. Sounds like a last minute decision

I wonder why. That rouge 727 perhaps?

[indictrichardperle]

6. That repo 727

is in Guinea. I guess it cant be used for any more propaganda on Faux. :eyes:

Is there anything scarey about a plane that was repo'd because payments were not made on time ?

[Spoon]

7. I don't have cable

Have they been saturating the coverage?

Here's a Cnn.com story from yesterday, which states that the possibility still exists the jet is in the wrong hands (along with talk about basing jets in Djibouti):

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/07/11/africa.terrorism/index.html