Activists, lawyers and others have likened former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter bombing President Goodluck Jonathan as that of a pot calling kettle black, saying the former leader is guilty of the same offence.
Obasanjo had in an 18-page letter accused Jonathan of plunging the nation into darkness.
He accused President Jonathan, among others, of promoting corruption, ethnicity; having a killer squad; tackling Boko Haram with kid gloves and aspiring for a second term in office when he said he will only run for a single term.
Reacting to Obasanjo’s letter, National Publicity Secretary, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said Obasanjo was as guilty as Jonathan as he did worst things than President Jonathan when he was in power.
“Nigerians should be weary of Obasanjo whenever he said something; it is either he is trying to settle scores, even though Jonathan is facing challenges,” he said.
Odumakin urged Nigerians not to allow Obasanjo to deceive them with his frank talks as whatever he did “is self-serving but that does not mean Jonathan should not address corruption.”
Convener, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Comrade Debo Adeniran said Obasanjo’s letter is like that of a pot calling kettle black.
“It is unfortunate that it is now that Obasanjo sees the fight against corruption as waning. In his days, he frustrated the fight against corruption.
“The ICPC under Obasanjo was underfunded. The EFCC under him was used to suppress the voice of political enemies. Obasanjo came to power with less than N20,000 and left power as a multi-billionaire,” he said.
According to him, “Obasanjo has no moral right to criticise Jonathan even though things are bad with this government. He should keep quiet and allow people with integrity to talk.”
A member of the House of Representatives, Lanre Odubote said Obasanjo is not different from Jonathan as the former president promoted the culture of lawlessness and impunity.
“They are birds of the same feather. He is only talking now because he has misunderstanding with the president but this is good for our democracy,” he stated.
Activist, Bamidele Aturu described Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan as damning, saying what the former president had revealed was what Nigerians already knew.
“The letter shows there is a big crisis now and it is time for Nigerians to act to change this government. This is not a matter of pot calling kettle black, they are all black. What they are saying is that they cannot deliver.
“Obasanjo made valid points in his letter to Jonathan. These people are incapable of governing this nation. Our president is now dishonourable, corruption is high and it is time to purge the system,” he said.
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| •Jonathan and Obasanjo: When the going was good |
“Jonathan is highly disturbing and has contradictory character. He made promises and will not fulfil and it is better they call him to order.
“He renerged on agreement to run for only one term. Jonathan is misleading the PDP. For five governors to defect from a party, that has never happened. 2015 may not be what it should be,” he stated.
A civil society activist, Biodun Sowunmi, said the letter showed that it had reached the point where people within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have become frustrated about the style of the President they installed in the country.
“With the unprecendented level of corruption, even Obasanjo, a sinner, knows that a greater sinner is in power. Obasanjo is worried that Jonathan is bleeding the country to death.
“The government has suddenly become inept and rudderless and this should make people like Obasanjo worried even though he shares from the blame of forcing Jonathan on us,” he said.
The content of the letter, according to him, is a summary of the frustrations among Nigerians conveyed by just one person.
A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Ipoola Omisore, said Obasanjo only expressed his frustrations in the letter to Jonathan.
“Obasanjo has no moral right to condemn Jonathan. Jonathan was a docile Deputy Governor in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when Obasanjo used him to displace the then Governor Dipreye Alamieyeseigha and also used him to defeat Atiku by pairing him with the late Umaru Yar’Adua against the PDP’s choice of Donald Duke and Peter Odili.
“You remember this same Obasanjo backed Shagari against Obafemi Awolowo. He has been giving us presidents we do not want and the result is what Nigeria has become today,” he said.
Omisore further stressed that every sin he accused Jonathan of committing, he also committed during his era as President.
“During Obasanjo’s time, he never forgave anybody, he played god, he wanted third term, he seized federal allocation to Lagos, he used the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against his perceived enemies and many more,” Omisore said, adding that he did what he did because he witnessed the recent encomiums poured on late Nelson Mandela of South Africa.
“If Nigeria should collapse today, Obasanjo should be blamed. I just pray he quit politics quickly and repent so that he does not pay for his sins,” Omisore said.
Another lawmaker, Olumuyiwa Jimoh, said the PDP can no longer hide the fact that there are serious crises within the party threatening to devour it.
NBA Chairman, Ikeja Branch, Barr. Onyekachi Ubani, in his own comment stated: “ Obasanjo cannot be exonerated from the problem at hand because he was the person that forced President Goodluck Jonathan on Nigerians. But he must be commended for coming out with this at this time. The allegations and level of corruption contained in that letter are what people like us already knew. Every Nigerian knows that this government is monumentally corrupt, but for someone like Obasanjo who is a member of the same political party with the president to come into the open with this allegation clearly justifies what everybody has always known. I must say that the allegations he made are very grievous and must not be swept aside. The information in the letter must be used to nip the destruction of this country in the bud.”
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U̶̲̥̅̊ can't just kill d message,for d fact that is d one dat impose Jonathan on us doesn't mean he shld not say d truth,let's join hand and condemn a thief thereafter we may be blaming d owner 4his negligence. Jonathan has turned dis nation into anoda thing and is high time Nigerians shld bid him farewell.
ReplyDeleteNigerians will come together and put this government right..... Then those who think they are king makers Many will pay for their Sins.....
ReplyDeleteOnly Allah can divide them in order to pave way for better society for poor people. Allah is at work! Nigerians let us continue to pray!
ReplyDeleteOdumakin and all you that is.saying Baba should not talk. Can you and all your cohorts do better than Obasanjo if you were to rule Nigeria. The man is saying the truth and you pple are barraging him with abuse and criticism. You are there and cannot talk,even if you see d extent to which they have plundered the country . Both Debo Adeniran and Lanre Odubote are condemning Baba simply because they are looking for contract from Jonathan administration. Was Nigeria as bad as this when Obasanjo was there. If you pple can't talk because of what you want to eat stop condemning Obasanjo.
ReplyDeleteThanx Mr. Ojolowo! You are right! I always tell my friends to try and take proper upbringing of their children serious. This is because I know and believe God will never allow any devil to oppress His people.
ReplyDeleteThe time has come for these devils and looters to start packing for the light of God to take over.
Fellow Nigerians join me to thank Him for His help.
I think that we All should join hands now that d high and mighty is crying out loud. For someone so high like OBJ to say these things that means worste things have happened. We cannot discard OBJ letter becos its coming from him. Let us look at it on d merit of d issues raised than on d bases of d writer.
ReplyDeleteOGBONIa(OBJ) Vs ECKANKA(GEJ).
ReplyDeleteIf Pot calls Kettle black I think it is ok. Pot naturally is black even after wash, but Kettle is not expected to be black or as black after wash. I think the current President (GEJ) should perform better than the former going by foundation earlier laid. Past and current government failed because they promote corruption at varying degrees.
ReplyDeleteCorruption has now become our general and popular english now as if saint or save from it .....it all started from each homes....who is safe from this general language?
ReplyDeleteAll this useless lawyers get mouth to talk if they give them chance to rule they will worst more than GEJ or OBJ.....most of them are politicians is bcs most of this people were not in a position to dine with GEJ thats why they were talking that way....nigerians let me tell you put todays day down if it is Gods willing for APC to win i bet it with you nigeria we worst more than this bcs if they takeover will hear story upon story lets waite and see ....then we will not be able to talk anytin again
ReplyDeleteit is not nation that make people, it is people that make nation, when a leader has failed, he will want some body to fail too, the leaders we have as politicians don"t love the country Nigeria, leaders are examples, Mandela, is celebrated, yes, this are leaders that are examples, love your nation, i love Nigeria, and remain as a Nigeria, abbey oluchi.
ReplyDeleteGEJ is a God chosen Leader for Nigerians and PDP. OBJ couldnot performed during his tenue why blaming GEJ even under attack since inception of his Govt. by BH. God Forbid allowing this country to APC to rule the Nation call Nigeria will be lost for ever , never try it I beg all Nigerians. Lets support GEJ during this trying peroid , expecting greater archievement during his second term- Goodluck.N/B APC are worst and evil party in Nigeria, never support evil group.-Isha alla
ReplyDeleteFellow Nigerians, the handwritting on the wall is becoming clearer. I urge Nigerians to be aware of certain things which will help each one of us be aware of where this country is heading to. If from the inception of a contract, it was full of deceit and selfishness, that contract is bound to collapse; especially when that deceit and selfishness has not been corrected. The PDP has greatly misused the opportunity to put this country on the right tract, hence her experiation date is near (QED). Obasanjo's letter is part of the instruments of impending change in this country, but not a letter from one free from the allegations in it's contents, nor one from a repentant sinner (signs of repentance has not been noticed in his xter). I agree that some (especially on corruption) of the allegations are true. Fellow Nigerians, it will only take a 'big man' to expose a 'big man', so lets see that letter from that angle and do what is needful for this country. GEJ should fight corruption in every aspect, for it has been our main problem in this country. but if he wants to contest again, constitutionally, he is free. If he promised before to do one tenor, circumstances can make him change his mind (afterall his first tenor is being made ungovernable). But the vision I see comes in three vistas. If Nigeria must remain one beyond 2015, GEJ must be the President. GEJ may be a sacrifice for needful disintegration of this country. True Fedralism to be practiced in Nigeria if they must remain one (would be very hard to achieve bcos of greed of those who feel they are born to rule and should usurp ressources from other groups' region). Fellow Nigeria, my prayer is that God grant us justice and fairness in this country with minimal casualty.... Amen!
ReplyDeleteFellow Nigerians,
ReplyDeleteI am induced by my conscience to ask these salient questions. Fantastic prizes await those who have memory of past events in the country.
1. Who among these people has ever planned a coup in Nigeria?
(a)Zik (b) Shagari (c) Fawehinmi (d) Obasanjo
2. Who among these conducted the most dubious elections in Nigeria?
(a)Obasanjo (b) Goodluck (C) Zik (d)Ahmadu Bello
3. Who declared the seat of an elected vice-president vacant?
(a) Shagari (b) Zik (c) Obasanjo (d) none of the above.
4. Who wrote: “dogs and journalist are not allowed" on the gate of his house?
(a) Obasanjo (b) Goodluck(c) Aguiyi-Ironsi (d) Goodluck Jonathan
5. Which leader gave away Bakassi peninsula without a national referendum or conference?
(a) Gowon (b) Babangida (c) Abacha) (d) Obasanjo
6. Which leader ordered the massacre of civilians in Zaki Biam and Odi ?
(a) Obasanjo (b) Abacha (c) Goodluck (d) Shonekan
7. Which leader looted money meant for our hospitals with his daughter?
(a) Shagari (b)Obasanjo (c) Abdulsalami (d) Goodluck
8. Which leader was accused of sleeping with his son’s wife?
(a) Goodluck (b) Buhari (c) Abdulsalami (d) Obasanjo
9. Whose administration witnessed the highest rate of political assassination, including that of an Attorney-general, several election candidates, yet nobody was held guilty?
(a)Goodluck (b)Abdulsalami (c) Shagari (d) Obasanjo
10. In whose administration did a prisoner win a senatorial seat from his prison cell?
(a)Obasanjo (b) Goodluck (c) Abacha (d) Buhari
11. In whose tenure was a serving governor kidnapped by the president’s foot-soldiers and burnt Government House and yet nothing was done? (a) Zik (b) Goodluck (c) Obasanjo (d) Yar’Adua
12. In whose tenure did we have the worst senate, when senate presidents were changed like clothes?
(a) Obasanjo (b) Goodluck (c)Shagari (d) Zik
13. Which leader sold our assets to cronies at ridiculous prices in the name of privatization?
(a) Abacha (b) Goodluck(c) all of the above (d) none of the above
14. Chinua Achebe rejected award of national honour from ……….. because he was corrupt?
(a) Goodluck (b) Shagari (c) Buhari (d) Obasanjo
15. Which former president recently accused Jonathan of being corrupt?
(a) Obasanjo (b) Gowon (c) Shagari (d) Buhari
all is obj
ReplyDelete