Obasanjo bombs Jonathan

Punch Newspaper reported that Obasanjo bombs Jonathan.

President Goodluck Jonathan is under a fresh attack . This time, it is a stinker from a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The Balogun of Owu, Abeokuta, did not make an impromptu speech at a public forum, he took his time to pen what he felt to be Jonathan’s
failings.

In an 18-page letter to the President,
Obasanjo accused him, among other things, of not honouring his words and taking actions calculated at destroying Nigeria.

The letter dated December 2, 2013 and titled, “Before it is too late” became public knowledge on Wednesday. Only on Monday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal,
said Jonathan was paying lip service to the anti-corruption campaign in the country.

In the letter, Obasanjo accused the President of pursuing “ selfish personal and political interests
based on advise from his “self-centred aides.” He also alleged that the President had failed to deliver on his promises to Nigerians and to curb insurgency and corruption in the country.

“Nigeria is bleeding and the hemorrhage must be stopped,” an obviously angry Obasanjo lamented. He went ahead to declare that
“Jonathan had betrayed God and Nigerians,” who voted him into power.

Obasanjo further alleged that Jonathan had not only placed more than 1, 000 Nigerians on a political watchlist, he had succeeded in
destroying the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and polarised Nigeria along regional and religious lines. He also said the President was involved in anti-party activities.

• PDP crises and Jonathan’s personal agenda.

He said the President was using the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, to cause the lingering crises in the party.

Obasanjo said, “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 or concurrence of the party leader (Jonathan) 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 (Jonathan). But the paymaster is acting for a definitive purpose for
which deceit and deception seem to be the major ingredients.”

Obasanjo stated that Jonathan’s failure to keep his promise not to seek a second term had also worsened the crises in the PDP.
“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 it is not ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and more honourable path.”

He added that before the 2011 general elections, the President told some governors and the PDP stakeholders, including himself,
that he would not seek reelection.
He specifically mentioned Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, as having told him that Jonathan accepted not to run for Presidency
in 2015.

The former head of state said, “ He (Suswam) 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 to six years and you would not need any more term or time.”

According to the former Nigerian leader, Jonathan’s failure to keep the promise had made him appear like a man without honour. Obasanjo told the President that it would be
“fatally morally flawed” for him to contest in 2015.

He wrote, “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 nyone in the office of the Presidency as a man or woman who can be trusted, a person of honour in his words and character.”

The former President accused Jonathan of supporting the candidates of opposition parties
in governorship elections in Lagos, Ondo, Edo and Anambra states and causing disagreements between party members.

He said, “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 governorship 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.”

He claimed that a former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu “was nocturnally brought to Abuja to strike a deal for support “ for
Jonathan’s personal election at the expense of the PDP and its governorship candidate.

“If you as 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 altar of your personal and political interest, then good luck to the party and I will also say as I have had occasions to say in the past, good luck to Goodluck,” he said in the letter.

• Insecurity/Boko Haram

Noting that the President had not been able to tackle the remote causes of insurgency in the country, Obasanjo again advised him to adopt “a carrot and stick approach” to stem the problem.
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