Electoral Reforms President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Thursday evening in Berlin, Germany sought the assistance of the United Nations in the efforts to find a lasting solution to the problems in Niger Delta and his resolve to institute far reaching electoral reforms in Nigeria. He made this request while receiving the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki Moon who paid him a courtesy call.

Yar’Adua who thanked Mr. Moon for appointing Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and General Martin Luther Agwai into key UN positions, said Nigeria was committed to providing leadership in Africa.

While accepting the concerns of foreign observers at the last elections, Yar’Adua admitted there were
indeed flaws that needed to be corrected because, according to him, it is important for Nigeria to be
able to conduct elections that would meet international standard.

‘The April elections had flaws and shortcomings but it is significant that for the first time in our history,
we had a civilian to civilian transfer of power. But our resolve is to be able to conduct elections that
meet international standard. That is important for the sustenance of our democracy.'

‘Currently, all the aggrieved parties are in court and once that process is fully exhausted, we will begin
the reform efforts in that critical area. We will need the assistance of the UN in that respect as well as in tackling the Niger Delta crisis.'

Resolving the Niger Delta issue is a strategic objective of my administration in the bid to ensure peace and security for the nation and that I am committed to doing. We are currently discussing with all the stakeholders with a view to coming up with a document which we would give the National Assembly so
that everyone can buy in. The intervention I envisage is similar to the Marshall Plan for the development of then Western Europe after the Second World War. We hope you will support our efforts in that direction.

‘On climate change debate, my government is fully prepared to back the activities of the United Nations.
As we all know, Africa contributes nothing to global warming yet we will suffer the consequences.’
Earlier in his remark, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, who congratulated YarAdua on his election as Nigerian President said the UN was grateful to Nigeria for realising ‘such a distinguished officer as General
Agwai to head the Darfur Mission.’

He urged YarAdua to work with other African nations to help resolve the problem in Darfur by prevailing on the Sudanese President to take more reconciliatory measures.

He said the same pressure should be exerted on the Somali President so as to end the bloodshed and help attain sustainable peace in the country.

The UN Secretary General said that Africa should take more interest in climate change because the continent will be the tragic victims.

‘We have the resources to tackle the problem. We have the technology. What is lacking is the political
will,’ he said.

He sought the support of Nigeria in helping to resolve the war in Sudan and Somalia while pledging UN support for Africa in the bid to rid the continent of poverty and underdevelopment.