Monday, February 16, 2015

Obasanjo wants to run my govt – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, described former President
Olusegun Obasanjo's attacks on him as the consequence of his failure
to surrender his administration to the former leader.Responding to the
tirades of the former president last week, President Jonathan said
Obasanjo was so bent on controlling his protégées that he would not
mind installing the devil in power so long as he can control
him.Meanwhile, it was learned at the weekend that the Presidency and
the Peoples Democracy Party, PDP, have decided to pull back from
earlier plans to sanction Obasanjo over his perceived anti-party
activities. Besides, there were indications that Obasanjo's support
among some northern governors, who deferred to him in the past, may be
waning. One serving northerngovernor in the PDP known as an Obasanjo
associate, weekend, flayed the former president for crossing the line
in his attacks onthe president and party.Jonathan and
ObasanjoAddressing journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Director, Media
and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi
Fani- Kayode stressed that soon after Jonathan won the 2011 elections,
the former president tried everything possible to control and
teleguide him, adding that he asked the President to do a number of
things that were simply wrong and unacceptable to a government with
plans for the people.Why Obasanjo is attacking JonathanHe said: "After
Jonathan came to power, Obasanjo not only tried to control and
teleguide him, but he also asked him to do a number of things that
were simply wrong and unacceptable. It is for President Goodluck
Jonathan himself to divulge those things and I am sure that he will do
so at the appropriate time."Needless to say President Jonathan refused
to be teleguided and told what to do though at all times he showed
Obasanjo maximum respect and accorded him all the privileges, access
and courtesies that are due to a former Head of State and a father and
mentor. This continued to be the case even after Obasanjo consistently
attempted to undermine his government and ridiculehis efforts."Yet
President Obasanjo could not be appeased and was not satisfied. As far
as he was concerned, he must either control Jonathan or Jonathan had
to go. That is why he decided to secretly support the APC and became
their 'navigator in chief'. He was determined to pull the whole house
down rather than allow Jonathan to return to power. This is simply
because he believes that if he cannot control someone, that person
must be destroyed. Control and domination is an obsession for
Obasanjo. That is the bottom line. He is prepared to put even the
devil in power provided he can control him," Fani-Kayode, who also
served President Obasanjo as a senior special assistant (public
communication) and later Aviation Minister said.Genuine
democracy"Obasanjo does not want genuine democracy. He only pretends
towant it. What he wants is control and a stooge in power. It does not
matter what type of government it is as long as he controls it and it
is headed by his puppet. It can be a military government, acivilian
one, a democratic one, an interim government or a government of
National Unity. To Obasanjo, it does not matter as long as he can
control it. That is his objective. That is why he hatesJonathan so
much and that is why he wishes to stop him at all cost."The bottom
line is this: President Obasanjo's grouse with President Jonathan is
personal and it has nothing to do with Nigeria. He should leave
Nigeria out of it and let us all be. If he has a personal score to
settle with Jonathan, he should not do so at the expense of the peace
and stability of Nigeria."If he wants to stop Jonathan, then let him
attempt to do so through the democratic process and through the ballot
box and not through foul and unconstitutional means. We said it
before and we will say it again: Gone are the days that any president
canbe teleguided and controlled because we have all come of
age."President Olusegun Obasanjo's allegations are serious and
grave.They are also reckless. He has raised issues and made assertions
that are capable of derailing our democracy and creating chaos in the
land. It is vital that we consider his motives for this latest
outburst and his credentials as a leader and an elder statesman."The
truth is that he knows that President Goodluck Jonathan will win next
month's presidential election and that is why he wants to destroy the
credibility of the whole process right from the outset."What he is
trying to say in his latest contribution is that if President Jonathan
wins, then the election must have been riggedright from the outset.
This is not only wrong but it is also unfair and uncharitable. If
President Obasanjo has any evidence to prove his weighty allegations,
he ought to present it before the Council of State and take it up
there."He should also report to INEC itself and present the data of
whatever sinister plan he believes that President Jonathan has to stay
in power 'by hook or by crook' to them. He should tell INEC whatever
it is that Jonathan is doing in order for him to stay in power by all
means and he should give them all the details. That should be the
starting point."Postponement of pollsAsserting that the postponement
of the election was not a sufficient reason for Obasanjo to lampoon
Jonathan given that polls have been postponed in the past, the
president's campaign image maker faulted the comparison between
Jonathan and former Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo.He said:
"President Obasanjo spoke about President Laurent Gbagbo and he
claimed that President Jonathan was attempting to do a Gbagbo in
Nigeria. The question that must be put to him is this: "Who got Gbagbo
out?" Was it not Jonathan's government that played a key role in
ensuring that democracy was fully established in the Ivory Coast and
did he not play a key role in ensuring that the Gbagbo 'stay in power
forever plan' did not work? If anyone doubts this, they should ask
President Alhassan Outtara of Cote D'Ivoire the role that Jonathan and
Nigeria played in helping to restore democracy and stability back to
his country."They should also find out the role that former President
Obasanjo played in attempting to keep President Laurent Gbagbo in
power at all costs and the deep friendship that exists between the two
men. It is a matter of fact and public record that when hewas
President of Nigeria, Obasanjo, perhaps more than any other African
Head of State with the exception of President Jacob Zuma of South
Africa, propped up and supported President Gbagbo and it is an irony
of fate and history that he is now condemning the actions of his old
friend and accusing others of trying to emulate him."Again it is
ironic that President Obasanjo has accused President Jonathan of
having a grand plan to stay in power at all cost and by all means yet
it is the same Obasanjo that tried to stay in powerfor a third term
even though the Nigerian constitution specificallyforbade it. He tried
all he could to change the constitution but the whole thing failed and
he was compelled to leave power."We continue to hold Obasanjo in high
esteem but his recent actions and utterances are beyond the pale. He
has been unfair to Jonathan, to Nigeria and even to himself. Most
importantly thedays of intimidating others with his harsh words and
overbearing influence are long over. Obasanjo is not God. Only God is
God andHe alone determines the fortunes of men and the destiny of
nations."Will of the peopleFani-Kayode continued: "We sincerely hope
that Obasanjo appreciates the gravity of what he is attempting to do
and we shall continue to pray that God will guide him and deliver him
from whatever it is that makes him want to destroy all those that love
him the most. Whether he likes it or not, democracy has cometo stay
in Nigeria and the will of the Nigerian people will be done in next
month's presidential elections and thereafter. We believe that it is
God's plan and not even one million Obasanjos can stop it."PDP backs
outMeanwhile, the presidency and the PDP may have opted not to tackle
Obasanjo on the development and rolled back plans to sanction the

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