Mr. Jonathan may not appreciate this nightmare but Obasanjo fully does. He knows where he does not want to spend his final days.
The curious story that was disseminated last week is that
Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria's former leader, has left the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
My message: if you actually believe that, I would like to
sell you the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
He wrote: "…Politics played by any national political
party must have morality, decency, discipline, principles
and leadership examples as cardinal practices of the
party…Since I stick in my practice of party politics to the
hallowed and cherished principles enunciated above…I
will consider withdrawing my activity with PDP at local,
state, zonal and national levels until the anomalous and
shameful situation is corrected."
The "situation" to which he was alluding is the presence
and advancement in the part of Buruji Kashamu, who is
wanted in the United States.
Obasanjo's "I Quit" tantrum came less than one month
after he preached a different sermon in his open letter to
President Goodluck Jonathan. "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," he wrote. "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."
Three weeks later, citing "morality, decency, discipline,"
the same man is sneaking away in the dark? Let us rewind
the tape to happier times in our lives when we heard a
similar sermon.
At his inauguration in May 1999, Obasanjo pledged to
provide the "forthright, purposeful, committed, honest and
transparent leadership" Nigeria needed. "All the impacts
of bad governance on our people that are immediately
removable will be removed, while working for medium
and long term solutions."
None of that was true; as we all now know, in the four
years that followed, all those evils were consolidated.
Worse still, following the rigged elections of 2003,
Obasanjo returned to Eagle Square for his coronation and
declared that all Nigerians had to do to improve Nigeria
was to stop asking "What's in it for me", and instead ask
"what's in it for Nigeria."
"This is the ultimate solution for combating such negative
social tendencies as corruptibility, ethnicity, lack of
patriotism, lawlessness, inefficiency, diminished sense of
justice, and lack of dignity and mutual respect for fellow
citizens," he preached.
It probably is, but in the four years that followed,
Obasanjo did not follow his own prescription, and we lost
all four years to him.
Had Obasanjo listened to himself, it is most unlikely,
among other things, that Mr. Jonathan would be President
today. Obasanjo's task force on corruption had indicted
him as Governor of Bayelsa for false declaration of assets,
and he was to have been prosecuted by the Code of
Conduct Bureau along with such Governors as Bola
Tinubu, Atahiru Bafarawa and Achike Udenwa.
There was none of the "forthright, purposeful, committed,
honest and transparent leadership" Obasanjo promised.
And then, his exit staring him in the face, he imposed his
own irresponsibility on a committee upon which he had
squandered national resources. With the collective
cowardice in the PDP in full display, Obasanjo inflicted
Umaru Yar'Adua and Jonathan on us.
If Obasanjo cannot tell what is good for Nigeria from
what is good for his ego, we can. Today, it is not difficult
to see why Jonathan is petrified to declare his assets
publicly; or why he comfortably grants state pardon to
some of the nation's most egregious offenders; or why he
sees nothing wrong with his filthiest Ministers.
It is called: Don't Rock The Boat (DRB), and it was all
put in place by Obasanjo. DRB explains why Obasanjo's
story about quitting the PDP is the biggest ruse since he
set up anti-corruption bodies to hunt down his opponents.
But before I fully explain DRB, let me clarify I do not pen
this article to criticize the former President. I have said
everything I need to say about him in that regard. I write
this only because the past is the only compass we have for
navigating the future.
Obasanjo has made it clear once more that what he speaks
of as being "good" refers only to what is good for
Obasanjo who never sees anything wrong with his own
betrayal of Nigeria, and of morality, decency and
discipline.
Obasanjo could not move Nigeria forward because he
could not summon the manhood to implement those great
principles. A true leader leads, he does not preach.
Obasanjo knew he needed to change the way Nigerians
think about Nigeria, but he failed to rise above his own
small-mindedness so that people would rise with him.
In that regard, the one person who should not blame
Jonathan is Obasanjo. Jonathan did not want to be
President, and now we know he lacks the preparation, the
character or the ability.
That blame goes to Obasanjo, which is why when he says
he is quitting the PDP because of Jonathan's
shortcomings, we must all refuse to go to bed.
It is a trick. Even Jonathan knows Obasanjo did not select
him for vice-president in 2006 because he numbered
among the brightest or the strongest.
On the contrary, he selected Jonathan, like Yar'Adua,
because he wanted people who could guarantee the
criminals continued to manage the jails.
This is why anyone who believes Obasanjo and Jonathan
are really at war does not understand strategy. Were they
truly to go to war, the PDP would certainly surrender the
presidency, and many of the thieves who run the PDP
would go to jail. Mr. Jonathan may not appreciate this
nightmare but Obasanjo fully does. He knows where he
does not want to spend his final days.
The overriding objective, DRB—to keep the PDP in the
presidency— unites both men. It is powerful enough to
cause Obasanjo to pretend to be out of the party as some
kind of free agent.
What does a free agent do? He smiles at prospective
suitors. He keeps them guessing, he negotiates, he
infiltrates. He might join, but that does not mean he will
not destroy from within. He might not join, but that does
not mean he will not destroy from the outside.
Still, we must give Obasanjo a chance, as all politicians
have sinned. If we are to do this, however, the first move
must come from Obasanjo himself. His main problem is
not with Jonathan; it is with the Nigerian people, and it is
to them he ought to issue a categorical apology, and
negotiate the future.
In the absence of such a pass, Nigerians must lookout:
there is gargantuan mischief afoot. Obasanjo is PDP, and
PDP is Obasanjo.
Via: Ynaija
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