Monday, November 9, 1998 Published at 12:01 GMT
Jesse Jackson begins West Africa mission
Jackson says there are positive signs for democracy
President Clinton's special envoy for Africa, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, is in Nigeria at the start of a four-nation tour of West Africa to try to promote stability in the region.
Mr Jackson told the BBC he had been impressed by the way General Abubakar had begun to carry out his promises of democratic reform.
He will also see representatives of the Ogoni ethnic minority on the eve of the third anniversary of the execution of nine activists, including the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The main purpose of Mr Jackson's visit - which also takes in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ghana - is to drive home a message first spelt out by President Clinton during his grand tour of the continent earlier this year.
Mr Jackson said that hope was rising again in Nigeria after what he termed "the tremendous trauma" of General Abacha's leadership.
Political activity was suppressed when the late General Abacha came to power following the annulment of the last democratic elections in 1993.
General Abubakar's new military government, which took power when General Abacha unexpectedly died in June, has promised democratic elections early next year and the race for the presidency has already begun.
Mr Jackson says he hopes that his visit will encourage the Nigerian leader to continue the democratisation process that he had started.
"We've not reached the high noon of democracy yet, but there are some very good signs."