An October 1998 report describes Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu as leader of the All People's Party (APP) in Ibadan (Tempo 28 Oct. 1998). The APP is one of nine associations whose applications to register as political parties were approved in October 1998 by the Independent Electoral Commission (Africa Research Bulletin 23 Nov. 1998). Some members of the APP found Adedibu's presence within the party controversial to because of his association with the late General Abacha (Radio Kudirat Nigeria 7 Sept. 1998; Post Express 6 Sept. 1998). Post Express reported on 15 September 1998 that the APP was attempting to get Adedibu, and "other apologists or pro-Abacha politicians" "to apologize to Nigerians for the roles they played during past military administrations." Furthermore, Adedibu was "said to be leaving no stone unturned to regain his hold on Oyo State which suffered a set-back over his support for the self-succession bid of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha" (ibid. 13 Sept. 1998).

Two years earlier, on 26 August 1996, The Week described Adedibu as a "close friend of the administration." Various sources identified him as a leader of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) (ibid. 6 Jan. 1997; Post Express 24 Mar. 1997; Reuters 13 Apr. 1997), one of four parties that chose Abacha as their "sole presidential candidate" in the election that was to be held in August 1998 (Africa Research Bulletin 26 May 1998).

Reuters reported as early as 13 April 1997 a campaign to persuade Abacha to stand for election for president. At that time Adedibu said that if the five existing political parties agreed "that the head of state should continue as a civilian president, therefore, General Abacha has won the election unopposed. He automatically becomes a democratically elected president." (ibid.). In March 1998, Adedibu claimed that Abacha would soon announce his resignation from the army in order to stand for election (Africa No 1 Radio 26 Mar. 1998; Post Express 11 Mar. 1998). On 12 June 1998 Post Express reported that "Abacha's loyalist and frontline crusader of the late statesman's self-succession bid, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, called on Nigerians to 'shift their loyalty from Gen. Abacha to Gen. A. Abubakar.'"

Lamidi Adedibu, along with Alao Arisekola, sponsored a pro-Abacha rally on 15 April 1998 in Adamasingba that turned violent when it was opposed by anti-Abacha activists (The Week 18 May 1998). This demonstration was followed by an anti-Abacha rally in Ibadan on 1 May 1998 in which seven people were killed by police (ibid.; Post Express 3 May 1998; IPS 11 May 1998). Both Adedibu and Arisekola were reportedly targeted during this demonstration by the anti-Abacha demonstrators and their property was destroyed (ibid.; The Week 18 May 1998). In reaction to events of that day the United Action for Democracy claimed that protestors were poisoned and "hag[ged] down" and "in an apparent reference to Chief Lamidi Adidbu and Alhaji Adishiko Alao, said the thugs were employed by some prominent citizens who are campaigning for Abacha to remain in power" (Radio Kudirat Nigeria 6 May 1998). In a like manner, the Nigeria Media Monitor reported on 6 July 1998 that three journalists from the Tribune "were assaulted on 20 June, 1998 by the aides of an Ibadan based politician, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu" after he became disturbed by the nature of their questions.

Alhajis Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao has been described as a businessman and owner of the Monitor newspaper (P.M. News 19 Nov. 1998; Post Express 7 Oct. 1998), who has donated large amounts of money to several projects (ibid.; ibid. 9 Oct. 1997; 16 June 1997). Several sources identified Arisekola as a supporter of Abacha's presidential bid (Post Express 28 May 1998; AFP 3 Mar. 1998; The Week 18 May 1998). Referring to him as the Vice-President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, Post Express reported him as encouraging Abacha to counter the "negative actions" of Western governments in regard to Nigeria (16 June 1997). On 3 March 1998, AFP reported that he spoke to a pro-Abacha rally in Abuja and said "you (Abacha) deserve to take us to the promised land." Post Express stated on 28 May 1998 that Arisekola had claimed there was "no credible alternative" to Abacha and that he said "more importantly, majority of Nigerians want to be governed through the next four years by moral power - the power of a life and a character, the power of good and great purposes, the power which comes at length to reside in a man distinguished in the course of great conduct." On 19 November 1998 P.M. News reported that Arisekola "narrowly escaped death" by students at the University of Ibadan. No details of the alleged incident are provided. The university asserted that he had not been invited to celebration of the institution's fiftieth anniversary.

No references to an Alhaji Akanbi supporting Abacha's presidential bid could be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Africa No 1 Radio [Libreville, in French]. 26 March 1998. "Abacha May Announce Candidacy on 1st July; Youth Rally Cancelled." (BBC Summary 31 Mar. 1998/NEXIS)

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 23 November 1998. Vol. 35, No. 10. "Nigeria: Nine Parties Approved."

_____. 26 May 1998. Vol. 35, No. 4. "Nigeria: One-Horse Race."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 3 March 1998. Ade Obiesan. "Nigerian Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse Anti-Junta Protest." (NEXIS)

The Week. 18 May 1998. Omenuwa Onyema. "Echoes of 'Wild Wild West.'" (Ethnic News Watch/NEXIS)

_____. 6 January 1997. Festus Owebe. "Confusing Signals Everywhere." (Ethnic News Watch/NEXIS)

_____. 26 August 1996. Yusuph Olaniyonu. "The Lion Roars Again." (Ethnic News Watch/NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 11 May 1998. Remi Oyo. "Politics - Nigeria: Limping From Crisis to Crisis." (NEXIS)

Nigeria Media Monitor. 6 July 1998. "3 Journalists Assaulted." [Internet] www.kilima.com/mediamonitor [Accessed 8 Dec. 1998]

P.M. News 19 November 1998. "Nigeria; Today in Nigerian Newspapers." (Africa News 19 Nov. 1998/NEXIS)

Post Express [London]. 15 September 1998. Yemisi Fadairo. "APP Strives to Meet Afenifere's Demands - Persuades Nzeribe, Adedibu to Apologise." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 13 September 1998. Yemisi Fadairo. "Fall-out of Afenifere's Pull Out." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 6 September 1998. Tom Chiahemen and Sola Lawal. "Afenifere May Quit APP." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 12 June 1998. "Moslem Body Urges Abubakar to Release Political Detainees." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 28 May 1998. Dele Ogunyemi. "No Credible Successor of Abacha, Says Arisekola." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 3 May 1998. Dele Ogunyemi. "May Day Horror: Seven Shot Dead in Anti-Government Rally in Ibadan." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 11 March 1998. Dele Ogunyemi. "Adedibu Gives Notice of Abacha's Resignation." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 9 October 1997. "Well-Equipped Medical Centre to Be Built in Ohimini Local Government."

_____. 7 October 1997. Ignatius Chukwu. "LG Launches N250m Dev Fund on Saturday." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 16 June 1997. Kelechi Ogbamgba and Josiah Emerole. "Poor Organisation Mars Launching of FSP." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

_____. 24 March 1997. Kephas T. Jonathan. "Still on the State of Our Federalism." [Internet] www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 7 Dec. 1998]

Radio Kudirat Nigeria. 7 September 1998. "New All People's Party Said to Include Abacha 'Lackeys'." (BBC Summary 11 Sept. 1998/NEXIS)

_____. 6 May 1998. "Thirty Said Killed in Ibadan; Civil Defence Coalition to Arm Members." (BBC Summary 11 May 1998/NEXIS)

Reuters. 13 April 1997. James Jukwey. "Nigerian Abacha-for-President Lobby Gains Strength." (NEXIS)

Tempo [Lagos]. 28 October 1998. "Nigeria Jostle for Ibadan." (Africa News /NEXIS)