EXCLUSIVE: PDP governors begged Obasanjo not to launch ‘acidic’ book before 2015 polls
The December 4 visit of five governors to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta was meant to stop the release of his book, My Watch, TheCable can report.
The five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had held a closed-door meeting with Obasanjo, amidst media reports that it was meant to make him campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan whom he had been openly criticising.
Obasanjo later told the media that “we discussed about security, about the economy, about things you all know. We looked at these issues very objectively and we came to the conclusion that, yes we have a bad situation but not irretrievably bad because something can still be done”.
TheCable can now report that the major reason for the meeting was meant to persuade Obasanjo not to release the book, which is highly unflattering of Jonathan.
Jonathan had got wind of the “acidic” characterisation of him by Obasanjo in the book and the timing of the release was considered politically damaging, coming less than two months to the presidential election.
The five governors in attendance are: Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Babangida Aliu of Niger, Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi.
When the meeting failed to persuade Obasanjo to delay the book till after the February 14 presidential poll, a decision was reached by some party chieftains that Kashamu Buruji, a former ally of Obasanjo, should get a court injunction to stop the release.
Certain portions of the book had described Buruji, a south-west PDP chieftain, as a drug pusher and fugitive.
The court order did not stop Obasanjo from releasing the book as he claimed it had already been published by the time the injunction was granted.
The court has subsequently found him guilty of contempt and ordered that the book be confiscated.
Although the aspects related to Jonathan are considered damaging, the fact that Obasanjo also took on so many people in the book, including his former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, his daughter, Iyabo, and former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, seems to have watered down the spotlight on the president.
Obasanjo wrote on Jonathan: “After watching, reaching out to, studying, talking to, and listening to the president himself and the people around him, I came, sadly, to a number of conclusions that mark Jonathan out as a man of adequate intelligence to run the affairs of Nigeria but lacking in broad vision, knowledge, confidence, understanding, concentration, capacity, sense of security, courage, moral and ethical principles, character and passion to move the nation forward on a fast trajectory. Although he might wish to do well, he does not know how nor does he have the capacity to.
“To compound his problem he has not surrounded himself with aides sufficiently imbued with the qualities and abilities to help him out. Most of them are greedy hangers-on or hungry lacklustre characters interested only in their mouths and their pockets.
“Whatever the misgivings in some quarters, Goodluck Jonathan obtained a credible enough margin of votes in the 2011 presidential elections to feel confident and ready to manage the affairs of Nigeria well, give hope, raise and fulfil expectations, make Nigerians proud at home and respected abroad, and lead in good democratic governance.
“At first, he took some right steps in seeking out good men and women for his cabinet. Except for a few, I myself would have appointed most of the same people he selected. But as I have said, having smart people as ministers and advisers is not enough. A leader must have the knowledge, vision, understanding, will, competence, integrity, courage and transparency, and engender trust, confidence and respect to lead the team without fear, favour or undue familiarity.
“It would appear that beyond putting that team together for clearance by the Senate and deploying them to ministries, not much else was accomplished. In fact, immediately after the elections, it would appear that contrary to the position taken by Jonathan before the elections to be a one-term president, all his moves were towards the idea of a second term. I wondered, could it be that his aides were manoeuvring and strategising on his behalf? But I would not buy the idea of presidential innocence.”
true talk baba but u know it will be worse 4 nigeria if a nothernan enters the presidency. we all know that the northernans seek the presidency for the main purpose of pushing the islamic movement..
You know, this can’t be true, it is simple black mail fabricated and parroted by JOnathan’s attack dog, such as Okupe Abati and unsolicited hanger-on Femi Fani-Kayode. That Jonathan is lacklustre and clueless is an understatement. God will not allow Jonathan to win the election because He is a God of justice and righteousness. If Jonathan ever wins the election, Nigeria is finished and buried. People like you who are picking the crumbs or eating directly from the master’s table are the ones rooting for Jonathan, the worst President Nigeria ever had and will ever have. I am a pure Yoruba person, who wants the best for Nigeria
Well, be it as it may, former president obasanjo is talking with a mind of notoriety for being rejected and neglected in the affairs of the inner circle of president jonathan’s administration. If he meant good, why chose to launch the so-called pretence-of-good-governance book(that’s what I call it)at this crucial time in the country’s history? For all I know Mr President’s doing well. Jonathan came in corrected most of the wrong policies the nations’s been bondaged in for donkey years! He(obasanjor) can’t accuse Mr President for a 2nd term bid when he(obasanjor) shamefully lobbied for a 3rd term in office which didn’t work for him. In summary, president jonathan has what it takes to lead nigeria even though he appears a lil’ soft and slow to action sometimes. I just hope he plays his cards right in the general election against a fearce and intent Buhari! In God we will always trust.
Very unfair of you cable,are you against Jona?Are u an arm of APC or sympathetic to it?If not why bring this to the public? Let me tell u the truth.GEJ is the best candidate among all that have come out.for the presidency. Love him or hate him,u can’t take it away from him.I am surprise at u.
I am surprised at your comment. Very shameful indeed. You don’t know the job of the press, do you? Tell me what this president has done to this country to move it forward? Just name them! Why are people so interested in taking this country back a 100 years? What is your gain in doing that? Why are you all afraid of your shadows? Buhari still remain the real man to answer our questions. Take it or leave it. I’m sure most of you will not like to wait to reap what you’ve sown. You enjoy eating from where you did not sow. All this will be a thing of the past when Buhari cones in. Shameless people! You will all leave this country at last. Just wait and see!
Has journalism turned to speculation? What fact did you put in this report to justify your claim that the governor went to OBJ to beg him not to release his book? Did you just realised this. Does it make any sense to you at all? Is GEJ still moved by OBJ’s criticism that he will send five senior governors to him to beg him. Haba, don’t sell thrash to us. Please, I respect you people. Don’t join the bandwagon of speculative journalism.
this is report is not exclusive in anyway the eason for the rush was to rubbish Atiku and ofcourse it worked as for GEJ there is nothing new to say about him those maligning him knows he will win next year