Obasanjo: Jonathan destroying democracy
Five days after former president Olusegun Obasanjo rated the administration of President Goodluck below average, he has again directed another attack at Jonathan.
Obasanjo accused Jonathan of “destroying democracy” and being intolerant of opposition.
He was speaking on Wednesday during the book launch of Mustapha Akanbi, a retired justice and former chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, (ICPC).
Obasanjo, who is in strong opposition to the reelection bid of Jonathan, accused the president of a poor handling of the insurgency in the country.
Despite being invited to the public declaration of Jonathan for a second term in office, he stayed away without providing reasons for his absence and held meetings with stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) three days later.
“President Jonathan’s understanding of Boko Haram phenomenon suffered from wrong reading and wrong imputation. That is what led us to where we are today,” he said.
“Boko Haram is not simply a menace based on religion or one directed to frustrate anybody’s political ambition but essentially a socio-economic problem that is tainted with religion.
“It took even the president more than three years to appreciate and understand that it is a terrible mix of poor education or lack of education, misinterpretation of what is almost and the Quran teach and stand for, poverty, unemployment, injustice, drug, gun trafficking, human trafficking, fallout from Libya, revenge, frustration, struggle against inequality, imitation of international terrorism leading to training and part of the absorption by international terrorists groups and general poor governance including corruption.”
“I have always maintained that the solution to Boko Haram lies in the application of stick and carrot.”
Like in August when Obasanjo compared the economic policies of Jonathan to that of Abacha, Obasanjo decried the present state of the nation’s economy and the rate of unemployment in the country.
“I have no doubt in my mind that youth unemployment, youth dissatisfaction and youth frustration were part of the causes of Arab Spring,” he said.
“We must learn the right lessons and put in place, programmes that will address youth empowerment and youth employment.
“I am made to understand that Saudi Arabia used $68 as benchmark for the 2015 budget. Our inadequate protection of almost all local industries with heavy cost of energy has dealt a hard blow on most indigenous industries.
“We may have to borrow to pay salaries and allowances. Revenue allocation to states and local governments has already been drastically reduced. Capital projects at all levels may have to be drastically cut or stopped.”
Obasanjo and his lines should not allow the hard earned civilian rule go to the dogs. It is time they fought back to bring back order and sanity to the system. Else, the country would on be cooling it’s feet at the military barracks. The word is for the wise. Hearken!!!
TAN – Transformation Against Nigeria
Obj is too old to remember anything. Funny though he is talking about youths unemploment
How do people forget easily? Obj should go and put his house in order first. His son and daughter have disowned him. In fact, he does not have shame. If Jonathan is destroying democracy, can he tell Nigeria how he used EFCC to deal with his political opponents in the name of fighting corruption. He will ever remain the most corrupt president Nigeria will ever have. How much did he spend for his second and botched third term? Well, I strongly believe that old age is disturbing him. Who gave Governors the unbridled and inestimable powers they have. He should know that some of us do not have short memories. The feud Jonathan is having with law makers was engineered by him. He has ruled Nigeria more than any other president and should therefore have greatest portion of the blame as it concerns state of economy, politics, social quagmire in the country. He committed genocide in Odi in Rivers state. Is that his idea of stick and carrot? He is just petty and myopic in reason. PDP should watch out for his antics. We all know that he is rooting for APC. APC stalwarts must be on the watchout. Why is he opposing the candidacy of Atiku and Buhari if he is a political Saint as he claims? Obj or Baba Iyabo should please defect to APC officially and stop politics of character assassination. He is an elder statesman and should toy with the respect that goes with it.
Sir Blissful or whatever, sincerely you have written very well. But mind you, what an Elder sees lying down on the ground will remain opaque to a child even if he climbs an Iroko tree. Obasanjo is not a Saint though, but his concerns and worries for this Country are thoughtfully genuine. A right thinking person knows that things are not right in this country these days. Killing everywhere, brazen corruption, looseness of laws and orders, deceits, dubiety, institutional impunity, societal and moral malaise, name it! Sincerely, Nigerians should harken the opinions of those that used their youthful days fought courageously for the oneness and survival of this Country.
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