DETAILS have emerged why United States (U.S.) President Barack Obama scheduled an official visit to Ghana against expectations that Nigeria might be one of his first port of call in Africa.
Obama is scheduled to visit Accra, Ghana from July 10 to 11, 2009.
However, investigations within the Obama administration also revealed that Nigeria was especially skipped from the first Obama trip to Africa, even West Africa, because of the current chaotic nature of the Nigerian polity and Niger Delta crisis in particular.
The source specifically mentioned the Ekiti rerun elections as a factor and the last sequence of controversial general elections in 2003 and 2007.
Also sources in the Obama administration explained that while Nigeria remains a strategic partner of the U.S. on African issues, Ghana has earned greater merit with the U.S. on its domestic successes, including its successful transfer of power from one party to another.
A White House statement released at the weekend said one of the purposes of the forthcoming Obama visit to Ghana is for “strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan Africa,” and also for ” highlighting the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development.”