The United States of America (USA) has described as ridiculous, speculations that Nigeria would break up this year and that the country in the past predicted the break-up.

Speaking this morning during an interview on Channels Television, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, said: “I can’t find any prediction by anyone in the US government that Nigeria will break up in 2015. It is a ridiculous assertion. Here we are sitting in Nigeria in 2015; do any of you see any signs of this country breaking up? I don’t. I see Nigeria in a challenging time, nonetheless gradually moving forward to a very bright future and the United States looks forward to working with you towards that bright future. When I spend time with young Nigerians, I can’t help but have a strong optimism about this country.

“Take this breakup in 2015 idea and throw it out the window.”

Ambassador Entwistle also dismissed as untrue reports that his country has placed an arms deal embargo on Nigeria, insisting that no country is doing more to support Nigeria in its fight against terror that the American Government.

According to the US Ambassador, “Ideas that there are arms embargo and that the US has cut Nigeria off is nonsense.

“No country is doing more to support Nigeria in its fight against terror right now. We can’t talk about the details in public but I can assure you that we are with you every step of the way.

“We have a number of discussions right now for various pieces of equipment in the air, on the ground and army personnel carriers. We share information everyday with your army that they can use operationally. The notion that we have cut you off is nonsense.

“When we transfer or consider transferring arms to any country, by US law, there is a process that we have to go through. We look at; does this make sense for the country and other human rights considerations. Sometimes the answer is no much more often the answer is yes.”

On the Cobra Helicopter, Entwistle did not give details of why the US refused to grant Nigeria’s request for the helicopter, but the US government had earlier said that issues of human rights abuse were some of its considerations.

“We have a number of other things in the pipeline. So that water under the bridge is focused on the present and the future and the cooperation is excellent,” the US Ambassador said.

He stressed that the relationship between both countries was still in good shape, explaining that the military training had stopped because of a strain in the training-agreement.

His words: “We have good relations with the Air Force, Navy and Army at the working level. We are in touch everyday working together.

“Late last year, I told President Jonathan that the US wants Nigeria to win the war on terror and we stand ready to help in any and appropriate way.

“We have already started training, at the request of Nigerian government, to train one of its battalions up to a world class standard. We brought in the best military trainers in the world. But the agreement with the government was that we will provide the trainers in order to do this properly, the Nigerian army will provide the equipment needed to do this training. It is a partnership. We are doing this together. It is not something we are doing for you.

“Training started, but sadly it got to a point that we had to stop because the equipment was not available.

“And after several weeks of waiting, we could not keep the trainers here and the Nigerian government decided to end the training.

“I say this with great regret, it was a great opportunity to train a world class battalion but unfortunately it stopped at the request of your government. But his doesn’t have to derail our cooperation. Whatever reasons were for that, we continue to move forward. As I have said, could we do training again in the future, sure everything is possible.

“But we have to talk about the details very carefully from the beginning because we do not want to experience this again.

“I don’t think the US and Nigeria are experience strain relations. I think we are in good shape.”

The US Ambassador listed other areas that Nigeria and the US have relationships to include trade, investment, health and education.

On the February 2015 general elections in Nigeria, Ambassador Entwistle said that the US would continue to provide support to Nigeria in its election process. He emphasised that “in a democratic election there is no place for violence,” adding:

“Every time I call on a politician or a candidate in this country, I ask him or her if they will publicly take a non-violence pledge on camera. Commit themselves to not fomenting or condoning violence before, during or after the elections.

“I have been very happy to see that Nigerian civil society, Nigerian media and entertainers like 2Face with his ‘vote, not fight’ campaign has picked up this project.

“The accountability aspect of this is crucial.

“I believe in the democracy and I have observed elections around the world and there is no place for violence.

“One thing I have observed as a key benchmark in democratic rule in any country is when the loser comes out to accept results.

“We can make violence unacceptable in public arena.”

The US Ambassador urged Nigerians to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections.

“The US supports Nigerian people in the election. We support the process rather than any outcome of the process,” he said, stressing that the US government does not support a particular individual.

•Photo shows US Ambassador Entwistle.

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