Olusegun Obasanjo: Whose Side is He On? – By Lagun Akinloye
Last November at the popular Ake Arts & Book Festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, former president Olusegun Obasanjo described the achievements of the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration as being “below average”. Obasanjo, while acknowledging the personal role he played in Jonathan’s emergence as president, absolved himself of any blame stating, “I will not take responsibility for his performance.”
Obasanjo’s comments were just one of many in recent times aimed at denigrating his former protégé and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a party he once led but who have now turned him into a peripheral figure.
Having been openly courted by the opposition party the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obasanjo continues to reaffirm that he is still a member of the PDP but as a former president, he is a father to all.
The former president knows the political game better than most and by accommodating and fostering friendships with leaders of the opposition, while simultaneously acting as a rallying point for disgruntled elements within the PDP, Obasanjo hopes to preserve a comfortable seat at the front row of the election gallery as Nigerians head to the polls on February 14.
From the outside looking in
After leaving office in 2007, Obasanjo attempted to maintain his influence within the PDP, strong-arming the party into picking him for the highly prominent role of chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT). This allowed the former president an ideal vantage point over party matters but would eventually put him at loggerheads with Jonathan, with the latter refusing to do his bidding on issues including ministerial appointments and how Nigeria’s oil wealth is distributed.
Further cracks in their relationship emerged as the Jonathan administration actively followed through with clandestine plans to whittle down the influence of Obasanjo on party matters. Obasanjo, in an attempt to save face resigned from the position of BOT Chairman in April 2012, describing the move as one that will enable him to fulfill his duties as statesman both locally and internationally.
Those loyal to the former president were slowly eased out of the PDP’s inner caucus with the help of the newly reconstituted National Working Committee (NWC), the decision making organ of the party, in February 2013. The move saw Obasanjo’s chosen political appointees replaced with those more favourable to Jonathan, with similar actions replicated in appointment of party officers in Obasanjo’s own geo-political zone of the South-West and his home state of Ogun.
Dancing with the opposition
In December 2013 Obasanjo played host to the national leader of the APC and former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu. Tinubu arrived at Obasanjo’s residence with a retinue of APC chieftains including their recently picked 2015 presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari. Tinubu extolled the virtues of the former president, praised Obasanjo for the role he has played in “building the nation” and lamented that the country was divided now more than ever. He concluded by urging the former leader not to shy away from speaking the truth whilst stating “we are resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria and we want you as navigator.”
Obasanjo thanked his guests for their visit but reaffirmed that he remained a card carrying member of the PDP, describing himself as an “Incurable optimist” and totally committed to the well-being of the nation. Obasanjo had some encouraging words for the opposition leaders stating that their emergence on the political stage had enhanced democracy in the county and encouraged them to play politics without bitterness and rancour.
Playing the game
Obasanjo’s parlay with APC’s leadership was curiously followed by an 18-page letter accusing Jonathan of failing to deal with the many problems facing Nigeria, including corruption, piracy, kidnapping and oil theft with Obasanjo declaring Jonathan “morally flawed” in his bid for re-election. The president dismissed his attack as “reckless, baseless, unjustifiable and indecorous”.”
Not satisfied, Obasanjo went on to release his autobiography in December 2014 in which excerpts described the president as a self-centred politician “who thinks less of the country and fraternises with corrupt and questionable characters.” The president’s men attempted to block the book’s release via a court order but the former president defied the injunction ruling by an Abuja High Court and went ahead with its unveiling.
But in a surprise move, a rapprochement of sorts took place on January 5 after photos were taken of Obasanjo attending the wedding of Jonathan’s adopted daughter. This was followed with a meeting at Obasanjo’s hilltop mansion the next day with Jonathan in attendance alongside prominent Christian religious leaders who would possibly act as mediators between the former allies.
The meeting was said to have broken down with Obasanjo refusing to throw his support behind Jonathan over his past transgressions as he once again welcomed the APC leadership and Buhari into his home only a few hours after the president’s departure. The APC, who were on a campaign stop in the former president’s home city, Abeokuta, announced that they had come to solicit the former president’s support and wise counsel. Obasanjo, to the delight of his visitors declared, “I’ll support the best candidate irrespective of party”, thus adding more confusion to his actual political stance and loyalty to the PDP.
But with Obasanjo still a much revered and respected figure in both local and international political circles, his posture and leanings in the run up to what will be Nigeria’s most keenly contested election since the return to democracy in 1999 will be watched closely as the question still remains, whose side is he on?
Lagun Akinloye is a journalist and Nigerian political analyst.
Thanks for the thoughtful analysis. The seemed to be well researched and coherent. I enjoyed the simple but hooking sub-titles. Again, thanks. OKere.
Ooops! I meant to say “The ARTICLE seemed to be well researched and coherent.
I love ur write up, In fact it came at the right. Let me tell our people from my own perspective. Baba Obasanjo is now a pillar in political circle (he has his men in PDP and also in APC) and he is one of the elder statesmen in nigeria. Tell me who amongst all our elderstates men that went to BOKO HARAM den ? It is ONLY Baba Obasanjo. Formerly the south west people dont appreciate him until recently when they are now embracing him as they have later realised that he is widely respected in other regions for one thing. He is a ONE nigeria man not Divide Nigeria man. I like him for one thing (forget sentiment) In his past different governments he like to save money for the nation., BUT his ONLY mistake that he had made twice is putting WRONG person to manage it after he left office. (SHAGARI REGIME AND JONATHAN REGIME) – It is when he goes to land beyond (NOT NOW) our people will now know his importance and what and what are his contributions to Nigeria. – Chikenna.
The former President keeps raging in his numerous discourses and monologues, at times bothering on vituperation. So many societal ills he can see, countless “prominent” associates & former associates he has also condemned as guilty for all these ills, some even late. Curious enough despite being in thick of matters in almost all circumstances leading to or surrounding pivotal events in contemporary Nigeria journey, Gen. Obasanjo considers himself the “lone saint and redeemer”. Quite interesting.
The much touted “reverence ” he enjoys, many think and conclude is just contrived, a subject for debate.
Wait a minute, I am not an admirer of the present administration’s performance, style and judgement on many crucial national issues. I am indeed frustrated but agitating constructively within my sphere of influence.
But looking at the options presented to Nigerians in the current political dispensation, despair thickens in the atmosphere. All ten and ten pence, both the band of the accused and accusers failing to demonstrate capability to envision and govern a modern and progressive Nigeria.
We should collectively and decisively begin to consider all options on the Nigeria table.
Giuseppe Lampedusa in the “Leopard” remarked, “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”.
The two presidential candidates now have records, I had witnessed for the first time during the Buhari/Idiagbo regime that Nigerians can be a disciplined, obedience, and law abiding citizens with the right leadership. What I had witness in the past ten years in Nigeria has been a disgraceful imitation of democratic governance, and those involved cannot be in anyway exonerated in anyway for what they had turned Nigeria into. Take aside the party manipulations, Nigerians knows who to vote for come February.
Let us use our vote to unite Nigeria once again and drive away those that think politics is Nepotism.
Any meaningful Nigerian should not vote for PDP in the Presidential election. Only those who would not like Nigeria’s progress would vote for PDP at Presidential level this time. It’s ok to PDP in some States, but common, Nigeria cannot afford another four years of Goodluck Jonathan. We should be more educated by now to know that. Do you agree?
No doubt, the President is fighting many battles, albeit for every Nigerian. The battle of bringing Nigeria to a point where Nigerians indeed determine who rule them and not some very powerful people selecting somebody for them; the battle of a sitting President freely doing what he/she is convinced of – whether good or bad and not someone somewhere dictating for him/her; the battle of a sitting President being accountable to the people and not to a godfather somewhere; the battle of enthroning a nation where the idol worshipper; the atheist, the Muslim, the Christian and whoever is free to worship whatever and whoever he/she wants and lives in any part of this country and own properties without molestation for whatever consideration; the battle of deepening democracy so that a sitting President does not turn him/herself into a god and clamp down lawlessly on his ‘enemies’ without due process and much more.
The non-use of EFCC and the ICPC to clamp down on the opposition, to me, is not about President Jonathan being weak; it is about being a different President; it is about being a principled President and who benefits at last – the Nigerians; the down trodden and not the touch nots.
With the entrenchment of freedom of speech in our imposed constitution by the Military, people can see white and say that it is black or see red and say it is yellow. In Chief Obasanjo’s eight (8) years, I did not witness the level of transformation I have seen in Mr. President’s four (4) years in the office. It is also possible that being the first administration to take over from the Military, Chief Obasanjo may have done the clearing of the land while Dr. Jonathan is doing the building. I have no personal ill feeling towards Chief Obasanjo. But it is clear that the body language of Chief Obasanjo clearly indicates that he hates our President. It is not about his love for Nigeria; it is about his hidden agenda. He is hiding under a cover seemingly positive in the eyes of Nigerians to carry out his vendetta against Mr. President. But Chief Olusegun Obasanjo can only tell that to APC. I am sure that Nigerians know that all these coordinated attacks are about his hate for Mr. President. If there were bargains with Chief Obasanjo which Mr. President reneged on after taking office, that will be too bad. But that is also unfortunate. That is why after 52 years, Nigeria is rather retrogressing than progressing because our leaders keep settling those that helped them to power than addressing national challenges. If Senator Ngige did not do the same thing, Anambra State would not have witnessed the development road network had during his time. If indeed, there were bargains between Mr. President and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to the detriment of the nation, Mr. President did right to renege. What have our leaders done for the electorates that vote them to power. Even if Jonathan loses the 2015 election, he will be remembered more than Obasanjo who for the eight years in the Office, set Anambra State on fire. Today, the Ngige he wanted to kill is now a flawless man. Who is deceiving who? General Buhari is also not a fool. He may be too big for Obasanjo and Tinubu to pocket. So, Obasanjo or no Obasanjo, Nigerians will go to vote on 14th February, 2015 and God will then decide. While that date remains in future and 29th May 2015, the handing over date also remains in future, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan remains Mr. President of Nigeria. He deserves the support of all Nigerians not necessary to win election but to continue with his transformation programme that has made our roads motorable; provided food for Nigerians despite the flood of 2012; made out airports modern; was returning trains on both the old and new railways, etc., etc. May God bless Nigeria, bless Chief Obasanjo and bless our dear President.
Great article and thanks for the information. Kindly include me in your mailing list.
Analysis is fair. At this stage of our political development, we need men like OBJ that will stand for what is perceived to be right irrespective of political affiliation. Men who would tell it to the face of the powers that be what he honestly think of them. Not praise singers and anarchists. Play politics without bitterness. Hammer on issues!
Nice man, sometime i am tempted to think OBJ owns Nigeria for his high flaunting. And you cannot tell me he does not know that he is playing game with the duo which in the same vein polishing his personality white for the his lasting white throne.
OBJ has nothing to loss or gain materially at this stage of his life. Sometime ago he mentioned his already been at the departure hall. OBJ stand for the truth and is an asset any Govt should dearly embrace.
Nice write-up. Simply analytical. Please, keep it up. God bless Nigeria. May l request you to always end your write-ups with this simple prayer whenever you are writing on National issues?….”God bless Nigeria”. Well done.
Obasanjo may very well have asserted correctly that Goodluck is flawed in many ways. I cannot help but ask the question: What did Obasanjo accomplish in all his years in government? Neither he nor Goodluck has done anything about corruption, injustice, electricity, our bad roads, the lack of a mass transit system to ease traffic jams, inter alia. Do these supposed leaders ever have an agenda for the betterment of the country? None of them does! As a matter of fact, we have no leaders, for which reason the mess goes on. We need new blood to take over the governance of the country, if these special interest will welcome the idea!
I guess he is on the side of Nigeria. A true patriot doesn’t have to be on the side of any particular political party except the party that will bring progress to the country.