我們又見面：布萊爾和布殊並肩 在石油豐富的尼日利亞頒獎典禮與商業精英
We meet again: Tony Blair and George Bush rub shoulders with business elite at awards ceremony in oil-rich Nigeria
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:50 PM on 22nd February 2010
Tony Blair and George Bush joined Nigeria’s business and political elite at an awards ceremony yesterday and pledged their support to the oil-rich country's new acting president.
布萊爾和布殊在昨天的頒獎典禮，參加尼日利亞的商業和政治精英，並保證支持石油儲量豐富的國家的新代總統。
The former British prime minister and ex-U.S. president were invited to the event in the capital city of Abuja by host, newspaper mogul Nduka Obaigbena, though neither of them spoke at the event.
前英國首相和前美國總統應主人家報業巨頭Obaigbena的邀請，在首都阿布賈由機出席盛會，雖然他們均沒在會中講話。
Bush sat alongside the country’s former dictator Muhammadu Buhari, a general who had government critics detained and passed laws allowing for indefinite detentions without trial.
Old pals: From left, George Bush, media mogul Nduka Obaigbena, Tony Blair and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pose for a photograph yesterday老朋友：從左，喬治布殊，媒體巨頭Obaigbena，東尼布萊爾和美國前國務卿賴斯對昨天拍照擺姿勢
From left, Condoleezza Rice, Blair, Nigeria's speaker of parliament Dimeji Bankole, Bush and Nigeria's foreign minister Ojo Maduekwe pose for the cameras during yesterday's ceremony in Abuja左起，賴斯，布萊爾，尼日利亞國民議會議長班科勒，布殊和尼日利亞外長馬杜埃奎在昨天阿布賈的儀式擺姿勢照相
Blair and Bush were in the West African country for the ThisDay Nigeria At 50 Awards which honoured contributions to society.
Former anti-corruption investigator Nuhu Ribadu, who exposed politicians from the ruling party, received an accolade, which was accepted by family members.
Critics say Ribadu - who left Nigeria for the U.S. after he was fired from his job and the target of a drive-by shooting - being absent from the ceremony highlighted the corruption plaguing the oil-rich country.
The investigator once estimated that corruption cost Nigeria - a nation where most people live on less than £1.30 – more than £245billion billion since independence in 1960.
The former U.S. president assured the country's acting president Goodluck Jonathan of world support in making his job a success while the ex-UK prime minister expressed satisfaction with the relationship between Nigeria and Britain.
It comes as Jonathan assured world leaders the forthcoming election process will be transparent and ‘credible’.
The former vice president is in charge of the country after its parliament voted earlier this month due to the ill health of president Umaru Yar’Adua.
Blair met with Jonathan on Saturday to express satisfaction over relations between Nigeria and the UK.
He also said he hoped Nigeria would continue to play a leading role in the Africa.
'First of all I would say I am delighted to have seen the acting president and to discuss with him and hear from him the situation here in Nigeria and the wider region and we were able to talk about some of the issues that are of mutual interest to the relationship between Britain and Nigeria,' he said.
'That relationship is a strong one, and I want it to stay strong.
'I have done lots of work with the previous president of Nigeria while I was in the office and all of Africa and we know that without Nigeria fulfilling its potentials and exacting its leadership, it will be greatly difficult for the whole of Africa,' he said.
Bush visited Jonathan at his Aguda House presidential villa, to congratulate his host, noting that the circumstances that brought Jonathan to office were unexpected.
However, Bush said: ‘Sometimes in life, the unexpected happens.’
He added: ‘We wish you all the best, even though we know it is not an easy job. With God’s grace and the support of your team, you will succeed.’
Jonathan also used the occasion to call on the American government to consider de-listing Nigeria from countries of interest in the global war against terrorism.
And he assured his guests about the commitment of the government to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria in 2011.
‘I can assure you that come 2011, Nigeria’s elections will be credible. We will do everything possible to overhaul the electoral process and leave a lasting legacy in our political history,’ he said.
Former president Shehu Shagari said at the event yesterday: 'We have in Nigeria in particular a system appreciated by Nigerians but no one else - an idea of dependence' on patronage and graft.
'It has to be fought against in this country or we will not have progress.'
Neither Bush nor Blair spoke at the event, but former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice briefly touched on the corruption plaguing Nigeria in her speech.
She called on Nigeria to hold honest and transparent presidential elections scheduled for 2011.
More than 30 people, including activist Shehu Sani of Civil Rights Congress in Nigeria, were arrested over protests held against Blair and Bush visit and their roles in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sani said the police held him for several hours before he posted bail on charges of incitement and creating a public disturbance.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1252854/Tony-Blair-George-Bush-awards-ceremony-honouring-business-political-elite-Nigeria.html
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