Former President, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of driving the country to the
precipice and allowing deceit, corruption and mutual distrust to tear at the
fabric of the nation.
In an eighteen-page letter which
the former president said he was making open, upon the president’s failure to
act or acknowledge earlier letters, Obasanjo accused Jonathan of decimating the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP through his determination for a second term
against earlier promises of serving one term.
He also accused President
Jonathan of spawning a support base of ethnic militants, corrupt politicians
and armed militia, all for the personal agenda of political survivial.
President Jonathan, however, in
a response to the former president’s accusations warned aides not to speak on
the matter. President Jonathan in his response issued by his Special Adviser on
Media, Dr. Rueben Abati promised to personally respond to the former president.
Obasanjo in the letter entitled
“Before it is too late”, dated December 2, 2013 said:
BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
I am constrained to make this an
open letter to you for a number of reasons. One, the current situation and
consequent possible outcome dictate that I should, before the door closes on
reason and promotion of national interest, alert you to the danger that may be
lurking in the corner.
Two, none of the four or more
letters that I have written to you in the past two years or so have elicited an
acknowledgement nor any response. Three, people close to you, if not yourself,
have been asking, what does Obasanjo want? Four, I could sense a semblance
between the situation that we are gradually getting into and the situation we
fell into as a nation during the Abacha era. Five, everything must be done to
guard, protect and defend our fledgling democracy, nourish it and prevent
bloodshed.
Six, we must move away from
advertently or inadvertently dividing the country along weak seams of
North-South and Christian-Muslim. Seven, nothing should be done to allow the
country to degenerate into economic dormancy, stagnation or retrogression.
Eight, some of our international friends and development partners are genuinely
worried about signs and signals that are coming out of Nigeria.
Nine, Nigeria should be in a
position to take advantage of the present favourable international interest to
invest in Africa – an opportunity that will not be open for too long. Ten, I am
concerned about your legacy and your climb-down which you alone can best be the
manager of, whenever you so decide.
Mr President, you have on a
number of occasions acknowledged the role God enabled me to play in your
ascension to power. You put me third after God and your parents among those
that have impacted most on your life. I have always retorted that God only put
you where you are and those that could be regarded as having played a role were
only instruments of God to achieve God’s purpose in your life.
For me, I believe that
politically, it was in the best interest of Nigeria that you, a Nigerian from
minority group in the South could rise to the highest pinnacle of political
leadership. If Obasanjo could get there, Yar’Adua could get there and Jonathan
can get there, any Nigerian can. It is now not a matter of the turn of any
section or geographical area but the best interest of Nigeria and all
Nigerians.
It has been proved that no group
— ethnic, linguistic, religious or geographical location — has monopoly of
materials for leadership of our country. And no group solely-by itself can
crown any of its members the Nigerian CEO. It is good for Nigeria. I have also
always told you that God has graciously been kind, generous, merciful and
compassionate to me and He has done more than I could have ever hoped for.
I want nothing from you
personally except that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make
Nigeria good, but to make Nigeria great for which I have always pleaded with
you and I will always do so. And it is yet to be done for most Nigerians to
see.
For five capacities in which you
find yourself, you must hold yourself most significantly responsible for what
happens or fails to happen in Nigeria and in any case most others will hold you
responsible and God who put you there will surely hold you responsible, and
accountable.
I have had opportunity, in
recent times, to interact closely with you and I have come to the conclusion
painfully or happily that if you can shun yourself to a great extent of
personal and political interests and dwell more on the national interest and
also draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and
advice from those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you
what you will want to hear, it will be well.
The five positions which you
share with nobody except with God and which place great and grave
responsibility on you are leadership of the ruling party, headship of the
Federal Government or national government, Commander-in-Chief of the Military,
Chief Security Officer of the nation, and the political leader of the country.
Those positions go with being the President of our country and while depending
on your disposition you can delegate or devolve responsibility, but the buck
must stop on your table whether you like it or not.
Let me start with the leadership
of the ruling party. Many of us were puzzled over what was going on in the
party. Most party members blamed the National Chairman. I understand that some
in the presidency tried to create the impression that some of us were to blame.
The situation became clear only when the National Chairman spoke out that he
never did anything or acted in any way without the approval of concurrence of
the party leader and that where the party leader disapproved, he made
correction or amendment, that we realised most actions were those of the
chairman but the motivation and direction were those of the leader.
It would be unfair to continue
to level full blames on the chairman for all that goes wrong with the party.
The Chairman is playing the tune dictated by the Paymaster.
But the Paymaster is acting for
a definite purpose for which deceit and deception seem to be the major
ingredients. Up till two months ago, Mr. President, you told me that you have
not told anybody that you would contest in 2015. I quickly pointed out to you
that the signs and the measures on the ground do not tally with your statement.
You said the same to one other person who shared his observation with me.
And only a fool would believe
that statement you made to me judging by what is going on. I must say that it
is not ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and more honourable
path. Although you have not formally informed me one way or the other, it will
be necessary to refresh your memory of what transpired in 2011. I had gone to
BenueState for the marriage of one of my staff, Vitalis Ortese, in the state.
Governor Suswam was my hospitable host. He told me that you had accepted a
one-term presidency to allow for ease of getting support across the board in
the North. I decided to cross-check with you.
You did not hesitate to confirm
to me that you are a strong believer in a one-term of six years for the
President and that by the time you have used the unexpired time of your
predecessor and the four years of your first term, you would have almost used
up six years of your first term and you would not need any more term or time.
Later, I heard from other sources including sources close to you that you made
the same commitment elsewhere, hence, my inclusion of it in my address at the
finale of campaign in 2011 as follows:
“…PDP should be praised for
being the only party that enshrines federal character, zoning and rotation in
its Constitution and practices it. PDP has brought stability and sustainability
to the polity and to the system. I do not know who will be President of Nigeria
after Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
That is in the hand of God. But
with PDP policy and practice, I can reasonably guess from where, in term of
section of the country, the successor to President Jonathan will come. And no resort
to sentiments and emotions or religion and regionalism is self-serving,
unpatriotic and mischievous, to say the least. It is also preying on dangerous
emotive issues that can ignite uncontrollable passion and can destabilise, if
not destroy our country.
This is being oblivious of the
sacrifices others have made in the past for unity, stability and democracy in
Nigeria in giving up their lives, shedding their blood, and in going to prison.
I personally have done two out of those three sacrifices and I am ready to do
the third if it will serve the best interest of Nigerian dream. Let me appeal
to those who have embarked on this dangerous road to reflect and desist from
taking us on a perishable journey.
With common identity as
Nigerians, there is more that binds us than separates us. I am a Nigerian, born
a Yoruba man, and I am proud of both identities as they are for me
complementary. Our duties, responsibilities and obligations to our country as
citizens and, indeed, as leaders must go side by side with our rights and
demands. There must be certain values and virtues that must go concomitantly
with our dream. Thomas Paine said, ‘’my country is the world’’, for me, my
country I hold dear.
On two occasions, I have had
opportunity to work for my successors to the government of Nigeria. On both
occasions, I never took the easy and destabilising route of ethnic, regional or
religious consideration; rather I took the enduring route of national, uniting
and stabilising route. I worked for both President Shagari and President
Yar’Adua to succeed me not just because they are Moslems, Northerners or
Hausa-Fulani, but because they could strengthen the unity, stability and
democracy in Nigeria. We incurred the displeasure of ethnic chauvinists for
doing what was right for the country. That is in the nature of burden of
leadership. A leader must lead, no matter whose ox is gored.
In the present circumstance, let
me reiterate what I have said on a number of occasions. Electing Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, in his own right and on his own merit, as the president of
Nigeria will enhance and strengthen our unity, stability and democracy. And it
will lead us towards the achievement of our Nigeria dream.
There is press report that Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented step of
declaring that he would only want to be a one-term President. If so, whether we
know it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly. Rather than vilify
him and pull him down, we, as a party, should applaud and commend him and
Nigerians should reward and venerate him. He has taken the first good step.
Let us encourage him to take
more good steps by voting him in with landslide victory as the fourth elected
President of Nigeria on the basis of our common Nigerian identity and for the
purpose of actualising Nigerian dream…”
When you won the election, one
of the issues you very early pursued was that of one term of six years. That
convinced me that you meant what you told me before my speech at the campaign.
Mr President, whatever may be your intention or plan, I cannot comment much on
the constitutional aspect of your second term or what some people call third
term. That is for both legal and judicial attention.
But if constitutionally you are
on a strong wicket if you so decide, it will be fatally morally flawed. As a
leader, two things you must cherish and hold dear among others are trust and
honour both of which are important ingredients of character. I will want to see
anyone in the Office of the Presidency of Nigeria as a man or woman who can be
trusted, a person of honour in his words and character.
I will respect you for upholding
these attributes and for dignifying that Office. Chinua Achebe said, “one of
the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.” It is a
lesson for all leaders including you and me. However, Mr President, let me hope
that as you claimed that you have not told anybody that you are contesting and
that what we see and hear is a rumbling of overzealous aides, you will remain a
leader that can be believed and trusted without unduly passing the buck or
engaging in game of denials.
Maybe you also need to know that
many party members feel disappointed in the double game you were alleged to
play in support of party gubernatorial candidates in some states where you
surreptitiously supported non-PDP candidates against PDP candidates in exchange
for promise or act of those non-PDP governors supporting you for your election
in the past or for the one that you are yet to formally declare.
It happened in Lagos in 2011
when Bola Tinubu was nocturnally brought to Abuja to strike a deal to support
your personal election at great price materially and in the fortune of PDP
gubernatorial candidate. As chairman of BOT, I spoke to you at that time. It
happened in OndoState where there was in addition evidence of cover-up and
non-prosecution of fraud of fake security report against the non-PDP candidate
and his collaborators for the purpose of extracting personal electoral
advantage for you. In fact, I have raised with you the story of those in other
states in the South-West where some disgruntled PDP members were going around
to recruit people into the Labour party for you, because, for electoral purpose
at the national level, Labour Party will have no candidate but you.
It also happened in EdoState and
those who know the detail never stopped talking about it and you know it. Ditto
in AnambraState with the fiasco coming from undue interference. If you as the
leader of the Party cannot be seen to be loyal to the PDP in support of the
candidates of the party and the interests of such party candidates have to be
sacrificed on the alter of your personal and political interest, then good luck
to the party and I will also say that I have had occasions to say in the past,
Goodluck to Goodluck. If on the altar of the party you go for broke, the party
may be broken beyond repairs.
And then when in a dispute
between two sides, they both stubbornly decide to fight to the last drop of
blood, no one knows whose blood would be the last to drop. In such a situation,
Nigeria as a nation may also be adversely affected, not just PDP. I wish to see
no more blood shed occasioned by politics in Nigeria.
Please Mr. President be mindful
of that. You were exemplary in words when during your campaign in the 2011
elections, you said “My election is not worth spilling blood of any Nigerian.”
From you it should not be if it has to be, let it be. It should be from you,
let peace, security, harmony, good governance, development and progress for
Nigeria. That is also your responsibility and mandate. You can do it again and
I plead that you do it. We all have to be mindful of not securing pyrrhic
victory on the ashes of great values, attributes and issues that matter as it
would amount to hollow victory without honour and integrity.
Whatever may be the feud in PDP
and no matter what you or your aides may feel, you as the leader of the party,
have the responsibility to find solution, resolve and fix it. Your legacy is
involved. If PDP as a ruling party collapses, it will be the first time in an
independent Nigeria that a ruling party would collapse not as a result of a
military coup. It is food for thought.
At the prompting of governors on
both sides of the divide, and on encouragement from you, I spent two nights to
intervene in the dispute of PDP governors. I kept you fully briefed at a every
stage. I deliberately chose Banquet Hall at the Villa to ensure transparency.
Your aides studied all the
recordings of the two nights but I told you at the end of the exercise that I
observed five reactions among the Governors that required your immediate
attention as you are the only one from the vantage point of your five positions
that could deal effectively with the five reactions which were bitterness,
anger, mistrust, fear and deep suspicion. I could only hope that you made
efforts to deal with these unpleasant reactions.
The feud leading to the
factionalisation of the Party made me to invite some select elders of the Party
to mediate again. Since I was engaged in assignment outside the country, I was
not able to join the three members of the elders group that presented the
report of our mediation to you. I was briefed that you agreed to work on the
report. It would appear that for now, the ball is in your court as the leader
of the party.
I can only wish you every
success in your handling of the issue. But time is not your friend nor that of
the Party in this respect. With leadership come not just power and authority to
do and undo, but also responsibility and accountability to do and to undo
rightly, well and justly. Time and opportunity are treasure that must be
appreciated and shared to enhance their value and utilitarianism.
It is instructive that after
half a dozen African Presidents have spoken to me to help you with unifying the
Party based on your request to them and I came in company of Senator Ahmadu Ali
to discuss the whole issue with you again, strangely, you denied ever
requesting or authorising any President to talk to me.
I was not surprised because I am
used to such a situation of denial coming from you. Of course, I was not
deterred. I have done and I will continue to do and say what is first, in the
best interest of Nigeria and second, what is in the best interest of the Party.
I stand for the aims, objectives, mission and vision of the founding fathers of
the Party, to use it as a wholesome instrument of unity, good governance,
development, prosperity and progress of Nigeria and all Nigerians.
I have contributed to this goal
in the past and no one who has been raised to position on the platform of the
Party should shy away from further contribution to avoid division and
destruction of the Party on any altar whatsoever.
Debates and dialogues are necessary
to promote the interest and work for the progress of any human institution or
organisation.
In such a situation, agreements
and disagreements will occur but in the final analysis, leadership will pursue
the course of action that benefit the majority and serve the purpose of the
organisation, not the purpose of an individual or a minority. In the process,
unity is sustained and everybody becomes a winner.
The so-called crisis in the PDP
can be turned to an opportunity of unity, mutual understanding and respect with
the Party emerging with enhanced strength and victory. It will be a win-win for
all members of the Party and for the country. By that, PDP would have proved
that it could have internal disagreement and emerge stronger. The calamity of
failure can still be avoided. Please, move away from fringes or the extremes
and move to the centre and carry ALL along. Time is running out.
I will only state that as far as
your responsibility as Chief Security Officer of the nation is concerned for
Nigerians, a lot more needs to be done to enhance the feeling of security
amongst them.
Whether one talks of the issue
of militancy in the Niger Delta, the underlying causes of which have not been
adequately addressed, if addressed at all, kidnapping, piracy and abductions
and armed robberies which rather than abate are on the increase and Boko Haram
which requires carrot and stick approach to lay its ghost to rest, the general
security situation cannot be described as comforting.
Knowing the genesis of Boko
Haram and the reasons for escalation of violence from that sector with the
widespread and ramification of the menace of Boko Haram within and outside the
Nigerian borders, conventional military actions based on standard phases of
military operations alone will not permanently and effectively deal with the
issue of Boko Haram.
There are many strands or layers
of causes that require different solutions, approaches or antidotes. Drug,
indoctrination, fundamentalism, gun trafficking, hate culture, human
trafficking, money laundering, religion, poverty, unemployment, poor education,
revenge and international terrorism are among factors that have effect on Boko
Haram. One single prescription cannot cure all these ailments that combine in
Boko Haram.
Should we pursue war against
violence without understanding the root causes of the violence and applying
solutions to deal with all underlying factors such as root, stem and branches?
Nigeria is bleeding and the hemorrhage must be stopped. I am convinced that you
can initiate measures that will bring all hands on deck to deal effectively
with this great menace.
Mr. President, the most
important qualification for your present position is your being a Nigerian.
Whatever else you may be besides being a Nigerian is only secondary for this
purpose.
And if majority of Nigerians who
voted had not cast their votes for you, you could not have been there. For you
to allow yourself to be “possessed”, so to say, to the exclusion of most of the
rest of Nigerians as an ‘Ijaw man’ is a mistake that should have never been
allowed to happen. Yes, you have to be born in one part of Nigeria to be a
Nigerian if not naturalized but the Nigerian President must be above ethnic
factionalism. And those who prop you up as of, and for ‘Ijaw nation’ are not your
friends genuinely, not friends of Nigeria nor friends of ‘Ijaw nation’ they
tout about.
To allow or tacitly encourage
people of ‘Ijaw nation’ to throw insults on other Nigerians from other parts of
the country and threaten fire and brimstone to protect your interest as an Ijaw
man is myopic and your openly quieting them is even more unfortunate. You know
that I have expressed my views and feelings to you on this issue in the past
but I have come to realize that many others feel the way I have earlier expressed
to you.
It is not the best way of making
friends among all sections of Nigeria. You don’t have shared and wholesome
society without inclusive political, economic and social sustainable
development and good governance. Also declaring that one section of the country
voted for you as if you got no votes from other sections can only be an
unnecessary talk, to put it mildly. After all and at the end of the day,
democracy is a game of numbers.
Even if you would not need people’s votes
across the country again, your political party will.
Allegation of keeping over 1,000
people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and
training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring
weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where
Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the
nation, the government and the people of Nigeria.
Here again, there is the lesson
of history to learn for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President
would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all
Nigerians and protect them. And no one should prepare to kill or main Nigerians
for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone. The
Yoruba adage
says, “The man with whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the
taste of the succulent fruit.”
Those who advise you to go hard
on those who oppose you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and
is permissive of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those
who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt
must teach some lesson.
Presidential assistance for a
murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation to welcome him home can
only be in bad taste generally but particularly to the family of the victims.
Assisting criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the
presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do
for you what he did for Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learned
his lesson. Let us continue to watch.
As Head of Government, the buck
of the performance and non-performance stops on your table and let nobody tell
you anything to the contrary.
Most of our friends and
development partners are worried and they see what we pretend to cover up. They
are worried about issue of security internally and on our coastal waters
including heavy oil theft , alias bunkering and piracy.
They are worried about
corruption and what we are doing or not doing about it. Corruption has reached
the level of impunity. It is also necessary to be mindful that corruption and
injustice are fertile breeding grounds for terrorism and political instability.
And if you are not ready to name, shame, prosecute and stoutly fight against
corruption, whatever you do will be hollow. It will be a laughing matter. They
are worried about how we play our role in our region and indeed in the world.
In a way, I share some of the their concerns because there are notable areas we
can do more or do better than we are doing.
Some of our development partners
were politically frustrated to withdraw from Olokola LNG project, which happily
was not the same with Brass. I initiated them both. They were viable and would
have taken us closer to Qatar as LNG producing country.
Please do not frustrate Brass
LNG and in the interest of what is being best for Nigerian economy, bring back
OK LNG into active implementation.
The major international oil companies
have withheld investment in the projects in Nigeria. If they have not
completely moved out, they are divesting. Nigeria which is the Saudi of Africa
in oil and gas terms is being taken over by Angola only because necessary
decisions are not made timely and appropriately. Mr. President, let me again
plead with you to be decisive on the oil and gas sector so that Nigeria may not
lag behind.
Oil with gas is being discovered
all over Africa. New technology is producing oil from shale elsewhere. We should
make hay while the sun shines. I hope we can save OK and Brass LNG projects.
Three things are imperative in the oil and gas sector — stop oil stealing,
encourage investment especially by the IOC’s and improve the present poor
management of the industry. On the economy generally, it suffices to say that
we could do better than we are doing. The signs are there and the expectations
are high. The most dangerous ticking bomb is youth unemployment particularly in
the face of unbridled corruption and obscene rulers’ opulence.
Let me repeat that as far as the
issue of corruption, security and oil stealing is concerned, it is only apt to
say that when the guard becomes the thief, nothing is safe, secure or protected
in the house. We must all remember that corruption, inequity and injustice
bread poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence and wittingly or unwittingly
create terrorists because the opulence of the governor can only lead to the
leanness of the governed. But God never sleeps. He is watching, waiting and
bidding his time to dispense justice.
The serious and strong
allegation of non-remitting of about $7 billion from NNPC to Central Bank
occurring from export of some 300,000 barrels per day, amounting to $900
million a month, to be refined and with refined products of only $400 million
returned and Atlantic Oil loading about 130,000 barrels sold by Shell and
managed on behalf of NPDC with no sale proceeds paid into NPDC account is
incredible.
The allegation was buttressed by
the letter of Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria to you on non-remittance to
Central Bank. This allegation will not fly away by non-action, cover-up, denial
or bribing possible investigators. Please deal with allegation transparently
and let the truth be known.
The dramatis personae in
this allegation and who they are working for will one day be public-knowledge.
Those who know are watching if National Assembly will not be accomplice in the
heinous crime and naked grand corruption. May God grant you the grace for at
least one effective corrective action against high corruption which seems to
shrink all around you in your government.
The international community
knows us as we are and may be more than we claim to know ourselves. And a good
friend will tell you the truth no matter how bitter.
Denials and cover-up of what is
obvious, true and factual can detract from honour, dignity and respect. Truth
and transparency dignity and earn respect. And life without passion for
something can only achieve little. I was taken aback when an African Development
Bank director informed me that the water project for Port-Harcourt, originally
initiated by the Federal Government to be financed by the bank, is being put in
the cooler by the Federal Government since the Amaechi-Jonathan face-off.
Amaechi, whether he likes it or
not, will cease to be governor over RiversState which Port-Harcourt is part by
the end of May 2015, but residents of Port-Harcourt will continue to need
improvement of their water supply. President Jonathan should rise above such
pettiness and unpresidential act, if it is coming from him.
But if not, and it is the action
of overzealous officials reading the situation, he should give appropriate
instruction for the project to be pursued. And if there are other projects
anywhere suffering the same coolness as a result of similar situation, let
national interest supercede personal or political feud and the machinations of
satanic officials.
Mr. President, let me plead with
you for a few things that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your
life. Don’t always consider critics on national issues as enemies. Some of them
may be as patriotic and nationalistic as you and I who had been in government.
Some of them have as mush passion for Nigeria as we have.
I saw that among Nigerians
living abroad, hence, initiate Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO. You
must also differentiate between malevolent, mischievous and objective
criticism. Analyses, criticism and commentators on government actions and
policies are sinew of democracy. Please, Mr. President be very wary of
assistants, aides and collaborators who look for enemies for you. I have seen
them with you and some were around me when I was in your position. I knew how
not to allow them create enemies for me. If you allow them, everybody except
them will be your enemy. They are dangerous than identified adversaries.
May God save leaders from
sycophants. They know what you want to hear and they feed you with it
essentially for their own selfish interest. As far as you and Nigeria are
concerned, they are wreckers. Where were they when God used others to achieve
God’s will in your life? They possess you now for their interest.
No interest should be higher or
more important than Nigerian interest to you. You have already made history and
please do nothing to mar history. I supported you as I supported Yar’ Adua. For
me, there is neither North-South divide nor Christian-Moslem divide but one
Nigeria.
Let me put it, that talks, loose
and serious, abound about possible abuse and misuse of the military and the
legitimate security apparatus for unwholesome personal and political interest
to the detriment of the honour, dignity, oath and professionalism of these
honourable and patriotic forces. Let me urge the authorities not to embark on
such destructive path for important element of our national make-up. The roles
of the military and the security agencies should be held sacrosanct in the best
interest of the nation. Again, let not history repeat itself here.
I believe that with what Nigeria
has gone through in the past, the worst should have already happened. It must
be your responsibility as the captain of the ship to prevent the ship from
going aground or from shipwreck. For anybody close to you saying that if the
worst happens, he or she would not be involved is an idle or loose talk.
If we leave God to do His will
and we don’t rely only on our own efforts, plans and wisdom, God will always do
his best. As I go round Nigeria and the world, I always come across Nigerians
who are first-class citizens of the world and who are doing well where they are
and who are passionate to do well for Nigeria.
My hope for our country lies in
these people. They abound and I hope that all of us will realize that they the
jewels of Nigeria wherever they may be and not those who arrogate to themselves
eternal for ephemeral.
Also, to my embarrassment at
times, I learned more about what is going on in the public and private sectors
of Nigeria from our development partners, international institutions and those
transacting business in Nigeria most times I was abroad. On returning home to
verify the veracity of these stories, I found some of them not only to be true
but more horrifying than they were presented abroad. Other countries look up to
Nigeria for regional leadership. Failure on the part of Nigeria will create a
schism that will be bad for the region.
Knowing what happens around you
most of which you know of and condone or deny, this letter will provoke
cacophony from hired and unhired attackers but I will maintain my serenity
because by this letter, I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to
your government, to the party, PDP, and to our country Nigeria.
If I stuck out my neck and God
used me and others as instruments to work hard for you to reach where you are
today in what I considered the best political interest of Nigeria, tagging me
as your enemy or the enemy of your administration by you, your kin or your
aides can only be regarded as ridiculous to extreme. If I see any danger to
your life, I will point it out to you or ward it off as I have done in the
past. But I will not support what I believe is not in the best interest of
Nigeria, no matter who is putting it forward or who is behind it.
Mr. President, I have passed the
stage of being flattered, intimidated, threatened, frightened, induced or
bought. I am never afraid to agree or disagree but it will always be on
principles, and if on politics, in the national interest. After my prison experience
in the close proximity of and sharing facilities with an asylum in Yola, there
is nothing worse for anyone alive and well. And that was for a military
dictator to perpetuate himself in power. Death is the end of all human beings
and may it come when God wills it to come.
The harassment of my relations
and friends and innuendo that are coming from the Government security apparatus
on whether they belong to new PDP or supporters of defected Governors and which
are possibly authorized or are the work of overzealous aides and those reading
your lips to act in your interest will be counter-productive.
It is abuse of security
apparatus. Such abuse took place last in the time of Abacha. Lies and untruths
about me emanating from the presidency is too absurd to contemplate. Saying
that I recommended a wanted criminal by UK and USA authorities to you or your
aides to supplant legitimately elected PDP leader in South-West is not only
unwise and crude but also disingenuous. Nobody in his or her right senses will
believe such a story and surely nobody in OgunState or South-West zone will
believe such nonsense. It is a clear indication of how unscrupulous and
unethical the presidency can go to pursue your personal and political interest.
Nothing else matters. What a pity!
Nothing at this stage of my life
would prevent me from standing for whatever I consider to be the best interest
of Nigeria – all Nigeria, Africa and the world in that order.
I believe strongly that a united
and strong PDP at all costs is in the best interest of Nigeria. In these
respects, if our interests and views coincide, together we will match. Putting
a certified unashamed criminal wanted abroad to face justice and who has
greatly contributed to corruption within the judiciary on a high profile of
politics as you and your aides have done with the man you have enthroned as PDP
zonal leader in the South-West is the height of disservice to this country
politically and height of insult to the people of the South-West in general and
members of the PDP in that zone in particular.
For me, my politics goes with
principles and morality and I will not be a party to highly profiling criminals
in politics, not to say one would be my zonal leader. It destroys what PDP
stands for from inception. By the government not acting positively and promptly
in the case of Kashamu wanted in the US for drug trafficking and money
laundering crimes, it is only confirming the persistent reports of complicity
or involvement of high-level political figures in drug trafficking and
condonation of the crime for political benefit. Whichever way, it is a very
dangerous development for Nigeria.
Sooner than later, drug barons
will be in control of large real estates, banks and other seemingly legitimate
businesses, in elections, they will buy candidates, parties and eventually buy
power or be in power themselves. It may be instructive if I quote fairly
extensively from Lansana Gberie’s recent paper titled, ‘State Officials and
Their Involvement in Drug Trafficking in West Africa’:
“…The controversial and puzzling
case of Buruji Kashamu, a powerful figure in the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), suggests that a successful and wealthy politician’s association
with drug trafficking is hardly disabling. Kashamu was indicted by a grand jury
in the Northern District of Illinois in 1998 for conspiracy to import and
distribute heroin to the United States. The indictment named him under his own
name as well as two suspect aliases: ‘Alhaji’ and ‘Kasmal’. His whereabouts
were unknown at the time, however, and his co-accused were tried and convicted.
Later that year, he was found
living comfortably in England, and, on receipt of an extradition request from
the US, the UK arrested Kashamu. After a very protracted proceeding lasting
until 2003, however, an English judge refused to extradite Kashamu on grounds
of uncertainty about his true identity.Kashamu triumphantly returned to Nigeria
and soon after became a key political figure.
He is now believed to be very
close to President Goodluck Jonathan, because of his ability to mobilize votes
in key states in Western Nigeria. The US government reviewed Kashamu’s case,
with the famous Judge Richard Posner presiding. Posner concluded that while
Kashamu’s identity remains murky, there is little doubt that the figure now
exercising authority in Nigeria’s PDP is the same as Kashamu the ‘Alhaji’ who
was indicted for conspiracy to smuggle illicit drugs into the United States.
Despite this, Nigeria’s
government has persistently ignored calls by civil society groups to
investigate Kashamu and extradite him to the U.S. On 2 July, 2013, the Federal
High Court in Lagos determined that Kashamu should be extradited to the U.S.
Kashamu immediately appealed against this decision, yet in November 2013, a new
panel of judges constituted by the President of the Court of appeal unanimously
held that his appeal lacked merit, and that Kashamu should be extradited. His
extradition to the United States will certainly set an important precedent
…unless of course, he uses his political skills and contacts to continue
avoiding it…”
God is not a supporter of evil
and will surely save PDP and Nigeria from the hands of destroyers. If
everything fails and the Party cannot be retrieved from the hands of criminals
and commercial jobbers and discredited touts, men and women of honour,
principles, morality and integrity must step aside to think.
Let me also appeal to and urge
defected, dissatisfied, disgruntled and in any way displeased PDP governors,
legislators, party officials and party members to respond positively if the
President seriously takes the initiative to find mutually agreeable solution to
the current problem for which he alone has the key and the initiative. I have
heard it said particularly within the Presidency circle that the disaffected
Governors and members of PDP are my children.
I begin to wonder if, from top
to bottom, any PDP member in an elective office today is not directly or
indirectly a beneficiary, and so to say, my political child. Anyone who may
claim otherwise will be like a river that has forgotten its source. But like a
good father, all I seek is peaceful and amicable solution that will re-unite
the family for victory and progress of the family and the nation and nothing
else.
In a democracy, leaders are
elected to lighten the burden of the people, give them freedom, choice and
equity and ensure good governance and not deceive them, burden them, oppress
them render them hopeless and helpless. Nothing should be done to undermine the
tenets, and values of democratic principles and practice. Tyranny in all its
manifestation may be appealing to a leader in trying times of political feud or
disagreement. Democracy must, however, prevail and be held as sacrosanct.
Today, you are the President of Nigeria, I acknowledge you and respect you as
such.
The act of an individual has a
way of rubbing off on the generality. May it never be the wish of the majority
of Nigerians that Goodluck Jonathan, by his acts of omission or commission,
would be the first and last Nigerian President ever to come from Ijaw tribe.
The idea and possibility must give us all food for thought.
That was never what
I worked for and that would never be what I work for. But legacy is made of
such or the opposite.
My last piece of advice, Mr.
President, is that you should learn the lesson of history and please do not
take Nigerians or Nigeria for granted. Move away from culture of denials,
cover-ups, and proxies and deal honestly, sincerely and transparently with
Nigerians to regain their trust and confidence.
Nigerians are no fools, they can
see, they can hear, they can talk amongst themselves, they can think, they can
compare and they can act in the interest of their country and in their own self
interest. They keenly watch all actions and deeds that are associated with you
if they cannot believe your words. I know you have the power to save PDP and
the country.
I beg you to have the courage
and the will with patriotism to use the power for the good of the country.
Please uphold some form of national core values. I will appeal to all Nigerians
particularly all members of PDP to respect and dignify the office of the
President. We must all know that individuals will come and go but the office
will remain.
Once again, time is of the
essence. Investors are already retreating from Nigeria, adopting ‘wait and see
attitude’ and knowing what we are deficient of, and it will take time to
reverse the trend and we may miss some golden opportunities.
Finally, your latter-day
conversion into National Conference is fraught with danger of disunity,
confusion and chaos if not well handled. I believe in debate and dialogue but
it must be purposeful, directed and managed well without ulterior motives. This
ovation has not died out yet and there is always life after a decent descent.
Accept, Dear Mr President, the
assurances of my highest consideration.
Yours sincerely.Olusegun
Obasanjo
P.S. I crave your
indulgence to share the contents of this letter, in the first instance, with
General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who, on a number of
occasions in recent times, have shared with me their agonising thoughts,
concerns and expressions on most of the issues I have raised in this letter
concerning the situation and future of our country.
I also, crave your indulgence to
share the contents with General Yakubu Danjuma and Dr Alex Ekwueme, whose
concerns for and commitments for good of Nigeria have been known to be strong.
The limit of sharing of the contents may be extended as time goes on.
Olusegun
Obasanjo Jonathan replies
Last night, President Jonathan
in a response articulated by his media adviser, Dr. Abati said:
OBASANJO’S LETTER UNBECOMING,
SELF-SERVING AND HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE
“We have noted the publication
on several websites today of a letter recently written by Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“The Presidency acknowledges
that it has indeed received the said letter from Chief Obasanjo.
“We however find it highly
unbecoming, mischievous and provocative that a letter written by a former Head
of State and respected elder statesman to President Jonathan has been
deliberately leaked to the mass media in a deplorable effort to impugn the
integrity of the President and denigrate his commitment to giving Nigeria the
best possible leadership.
“While many patriotic, objective
and well-meaning Nigerians have already condemned the leaked letter as
self-serving, hypocritical, malicious, indecent, and very disrespectful of the
highest office in the land, President Jonathan has directed that none of his
aides or any government official should join issues with Chief Obasanjo over
it.
“The President himself will, at
the appropriate time, offer a full personal response to the most reckless,
baseless, unjustifiable and indecorous charges levied against him and his
administration by the former Head of State.”
Culled from Vanguard
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