Both
Presidents Barack Obama and Goodluck Jonathan wanted to talk on phone,
but twice calls from the White House to Aso Rock failed to make the
connection.
Authoritative
sources confirmed during the week that efforts by President Obama to
personally speak with Jonathan to return his congratulatory message has
been aborted at least twice by the failure of the telephone system in
Aso Rock.
After
Obama’ s second-term election victory three weeks ago, President
Jonathan was among the first world leaders to congratulate him, offering
him a hand of fellowship.
In
response to the congratulatory messages, Obama on the Thursday of the
same election week, started calling back some of the world leaders, who
had congratulated him, to appreciate their letters and words of
felicitation.
At
least, three White House press statements by Press Secretary, Jay
Carney, since the week of the election, have listed names of leaders
Obama has been able to speak to in return for their congratulatory
messages. Based on those statements made available to The Guardian, the
US President has not been able to reach out to the Nigerian president.
But
US sources confirmed that President Jonathan is one of those Obama was
personally keen on talking to, in acknowledgement of their early
congratulatory messages.
Specifically, on Monday November 12, according to US sources, White House officials, having coordinated with the US Embassy in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Embassy in the US, got a number to call Aso Rock, but, on two occasions on that day, both calls were simply not picked up, causing a diplomatic embarrassment for Aso Rock. The number had been given by Aso Rock officials to enable President Obama reach President Jonathan.
Specifically, on Monday November 12, according to US sources, White House officials, having coordinated with the US Embassy in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Embassy in the US, got a number to call Aso Rock, but, on two occasions on that day, both calls were simply not picked up, causing a diplomatic embarrassment for Aso Rock. The number had been given by Aso Rock officials to enable President Obama reach President Jonathan.
A
source explained that what should have been done, as is normal in
diplomatic etiquette, is for the Nigerian President to have a hotline to
reach leaders of other countries that are strategic to the country, so
that such important calls are easily facilitated.
Sources
close to the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the practice
and put the blame squarely on Aso Rock telephone system and some of its
operators and officials.
Nigeria’s
Ambassador to the US, Prof Adebowale Adefuye, confirmed that the US
President wants to talk to Jonathan since after the election, but stated
that it is yet to happen.
But
he quickly added that the plans were still being worked out to make it a
reality. He explained further that during this past week, President
Obama was away in Asia and then returned for the Thanksgiving
celebrations, a big holiday, which Americans mark every third Thursday
in November. In most cases in the US, the holiday starts on the
preceding Wednesday (November 21) until the following week, which is
Monday, November 26.
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