December 2, 2013
His Excellency,
Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan, GCFR
President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Presidential Villa,
Asokoro, Abuja.
Dear Mr. President,
I am constrained to make this an open letter to you for a
number of reasons. One, the current situation and consequent possible
outcome dictate that I should, before the door closes on reason and
promotion of nation interest, alert you to the danger that may be
lurking in the corner. Two, none of the four or more letters I have
written to you in the past two years or so has elicited neither an
acknowledgement nor any response. Three, people close to you, if not
yourself, have been asking, what does Obasanjo want? Four, I could sense
a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into
and the situation we fell into as a nation during the Abacha era. Five,
everything must be done to guard, protect and defend our fledgling
democracy, nourish it, and prevent bloodshed. Six, we must move away
from advertently or inadvertently dividing the country along weak seams
of North-South and Christian-Moslem. Seven, nothing should be done to
allow the country to degenerate into economic dormancy, stagnation or
retrogression. Eight, some of our international friends and development
partners are genuinely worried about signs and signals that are coming
out of Nigeria. Nine, Nigeria should be in a position to take advantage
of the present favourable international interest to invest in Africa –
an opportunity that will not be open for too long. Ten, I am concerned
about your legacy and your climb-down which you alone can best be the
manager of, whenever you so decide.
Mr.
President, you have on a number of occasions acknowledged the role God
enabled me to play in your ascension to power. You put me third after
God and your parents among those that have impacted most of your life. I
have always retorted that God only put you where you are and those that
could be regarded as having played a role were only instruments of God
to achieve God’s purpose in your life. For me, I believe that
politically, it was in the best interest of Nigeria that you, a Nigerian
from minority group in the South could rise to the highest pinnacle of
political leadership. If Obasanjo could get there, Yar’Adua could get
there and Jonathan can get there, any Nigerian can. It is now not a
matter of the turn of any section or geographical area but the best
interest of Nigeria and all Nigerians. It has been proved that no group –
ethnic, linguistic, religious or geographical location – has monopoly
of materials for leadership of our country. And no group solely by
itself can crown any of it members the Nigerian CEO. It is good for
Nigeria. I have also always told you that God has graciously been kind,
generous, merciful and compassionate to me and He has done more than I
could have ever hoped for. I want nothing from you personally except
that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria
good, but to make Nigeria great for which I have always pleaded with you
and I will always do so. And it is yet to be done for most Nigerians to
see.
For five capacities in which you
find yourself, you must hold yourself most significantly responsible for
what happens to fails to happen in Nigeria and in any case most others
will hold you responsible and God who put you there will surely hold you
responsible and accountable. I have had opportunity, in recent times,
to interact closely with you and I have come to the conclusion painfully
or happily that if you can shun yourself to a great extent of personal
and political interests and dwell more on the national interest and also
draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and
advice from those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you
what you will want to hear, it will be well. The five positions which
you share with nobody except God and which place great and grave
responsibility on you are leadership of the ruling party, headship of
the Federal Government or national government, Commander-in-Chief of the
Military, Chief Security Officer of the nation, and the political
leader of the country. Those positions go with being President of our
country and while depending on your disposition you can delegate or
devolve responsibility, but the buck must stop on your table whether you
like it or not.
Let me start with the
leadership of the ruling party. Many of us were puzzled over what was
going on in the party. Most party members blamed the National Chairman. I
understand that some in the presidency tried to create the impression
that some of us were to blame. The situation became clear only when the
National Chairman spoke out that he never did anything or acted in any
way without the approval or concurrence of the Party Leader and that
where the Party Leader disapproved, he made correction or amendment,
that we realised most actions were those of the Chairman but the
motivation and direction were those of the Leader. It would be unfair to
continue to level full blames on the Chairman for all that goes wrong
with the Party. The Chairman is playing the tune dictated by the
Paymaster.
But the Paymaster is acting for a
definitive purpose for which deceit and deception seems to be the major
ingredients. Up till two months ago, Mr. President, you told me that you
have not told anybody that you would contest in 2015. I quickly pointed
out to you that the signs and the measures on the ground do not tally
with you statement. You said the same to one other person who shared his
observation with me. And only a fool would believe that statement that
you made to me judging by what is going on. I must say that it is not
ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and honourable path.
Although you have not formally informed me one way or the other, it will
be necessary to refresh your memory of what transpired in 2011. I had
gone to Benue State for the marriage of one of my staff, Vitalis Ortese,
in the State. Governor Suswam was my hospitable host. He told me that
you had accepted a one-term presidency to allow for ease of getting
support across the board in the North. I decided to crosscheck with you.
You did not hesitate to confirm to me that you are a strong believer in
a one-term of six years for the President and that by the time you have
used the unexpired time of your predecessor and the four years of your
first term, you would have almost used up to six years and you would not
need any more term or time. Later, I heard from other sources including
sources close to you that you made the same commitment elsewhere,
hence, my inclusion of it in my Address at the finale of your campaign
in 2011 as follows:
“…PDP should be praised for
being the only party that enshrines federal character, zoning and
rotation in its Constitution and practices it. PDP has brought stability
and substantial predictability to the polity and the system. I do not
know who will be President of Nigeria after Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. That
is in the hand of God. But with PDP policy and practice, I can
reasonably guess from where, in term of the section of the country, the
successor to President Jonathan will come. And no internal democracy or
competition will thereby be destroyed. The recent resort to sentiments
and emotions of religion and regionalism is self-serving, unpatriotic
and mischievous, to say the least. It is also preying on dangerous
emotive issues that can ignite uncontrollable passion and destabilise if
not destroy our country. This is being oblivious of the sacrifices
others have made in the past for unity, stability and democracy in the
Nigeria in giving up their lives, shedding their blood, and in going to
prison. I personally have done two out of those three sacrifices and I
am ready to do the third if it will serve the best interest of Nigerian
dream. Let me appeal to those who have embarked on this dangerous road
to reflect and desist from taking us on a perishable journey. With
common identity as Nigerians, there is more that binds us than separates
us. I am a Nigerian, born a Yoruba man, and I am proud of both
identities, as they are for me complementary. Our duties,
responsibilities and obligations to our country as citizens and, indeed,
as leaders must go side by side with our rights and demands. There must
be certain values and virtues that must go concomitantly with our
dream. Thomas Paine said “my country is the world”, for me, my country I
hold dear.
On two occasions, I have had opportunity
to work for my successors to the government of Nigeria. On both
occasions, I never took the easy and destabilising route of ethnic,
regional or religious consideration rather I took the enduring route of
national, uniting and stabilising route. I worked for both President
Shagari and President Yar’Adua to succeed me not just because they are
Moslems, Northerners or Hausa-Fulani, but also because they could
strengthen the unity, stability and democracy in Nigeria. We incurred
the displeasure of ethnic chauvinists for doing what was right for the
country. That is in the nature of burden of leadership. A leader must
lead no matter whose ox is gored.
In the present
circumstance, let me reiterate what I have said on a number of
occasions. Electing Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in his own right and on
his own merit, as the President of Nigeria will enhance and strengthen
our unity, stability and democracy. And it will lead us towards the
achievement of our Nigerian dream.
There is press
report that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has already taken a unique and
unprecedented step of declaring that he would only want to be a one-term
President. If so, whether we know it or not, that is a sacrifice and it
is statesmanlike.
Rather than vilify him and pull
him down, we, as a Party, should applaud and commend him and Nigerians
should reward and venerate him. He has taken the first good step.
Let us encourage him to take more good steps by voting him in with
landslide victory and the fourth elected President of Nigeria on the
basis of our common Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualizing
Nigerian dream…”
When you won the election, one of
the issues you very early pursued was that one term of six years. That
convinced me that you meant what you told me before my Speech at the
campaign. Mr. President, whatever may be your intention or plan, I
cannot comment much on the constitutional aspect of your second term or
what some people call third term. That is for both legal and judicial
attention. But if constitutionally you are on a strong wicket if you so
decide, it will be fatally morally flawed. As a leader, tow things you
must cherish and hold dear among others are trust and honour both of
which are important ingredients of character. I will want to see anyone
in the Office of the Presidency of Nigeria as a man or woman who can be
trust, a person of honour in his words and character. I will respect
you for upholding these attributes and for dignifying that Office.
Chinua Achebe said, “One of the truest test of integrity is its blunt
refusal to be compromised.” It is a lesson for all leaders including you
and me. However, Mr. President, let me hope that s you claimed that you
have not told anybody that you are contesting and that what we see and
hear is a rumbling of overzealous aides, you will remain a leader that
can be believed and trusted without unduly passing the buck or engaging
in game of denials.
Maybe you also need to know that
many party members feel disappointed in the double game you were
alleged to play in support of party gubernatorial candidates in some
States where you surreptitiously supported non-PDP candidates against
PDP candidates in exchange for promise or act of those non-PDP Governors
supporting you for your election in the past or for the one that you
are yet to formally declare. It happened in Lagos in 2011 when Bola
Tinubu was nocturnally brought to Abuja to strike a deal for support for
your personal election at great price materially and in the fortune for
PDP gubernatorial candidate. As Chairman of BOT, I spoke to you at that
time. It happened in Ondo State where there was in addition evidence of
cover-up and non-prosecution of fraud of fake security report against
the non-PDP candidate and his collaborators for the purpose of
extracting personal electoral advantage for you. In fact, I have raised
with you the story of those in other States in the South-West where some
disgruntled PDP members were going around to recruit people into the
Labour Party for you, because for electoral purpose ta the national
level, Labour part will have no candidate but you. It also happened in
Edo State and those who know the detail never stopped talking about it.
And you know it. Ditto in Anambra State with the fiasco coming from
undue interference. If you as a leader of the Party cannot be seen to be
loyal to the PDP in support of the candidates of the Party and the
interest of such Pasrty candidates have to be sacrificed on the altar of
your personal and political interest, then good luck to the Party and I
will also say as I have had occasions to say in the past, good luck to
Goodluck. If on the altar of the Party you go for broke, the Party may
be broken beyond repairs. And when in a dispute between two sides, they
both stubbornly decide to fight to the last drop of blood, no one knows
whose blood would be the last to drop. In such a situation, Nigeria as a
nation may also be adversely affected, not just the PDP. I wish to see
no more bloodshed occasioned by politics in Nigeria. Please, Mr.
President, be mindful of that. You were exemplary in words when during
the campaign and the 2011 elections you said, “My election is not worth
spilling the blood of any Nigerian.” From you, it should not be if it
has to be, let it be. It should be from you, let peace, security,
harmony, good governance, development and progress be for Nigeria. That
is also your responsibility and mandate. You can do it and I plead that
you do it. We all have to be mindful of not securing Pyrrhic victory on
the ashes of great values, attributes and issues that matter, as it
would amount to hollow victory without honour or integrity.
Whatever may be the feud in PDP and no matter what you or your aides
may feel, you, as the Party Leader, have the responsibility to find
solution, resolve and fix it. Your legacy is involved. If PDP as a
ruling Party collapses, it will be the first time in an independent
Nigeria that a ruling political party would collapse not as a result of a
military coup. It is food for thought. At the prompting of Governors on
both sides o the divide, and on encouragement from you, I spent two
nights to intervene in the dispute of the PDP Governors. I kept you
fully briefed at every stage. I deliberately chose Banquet Hall at the
Villa to ensure transparency. Your aides studied all the recordings of
the two nights. But I told you at the end of the exercise that I
observed five reactions among the Governor that required your immediate
attention as you are the only one from the vantage point of your five
positions that could deal effectively with the give reactions which were
bitterness, anger, mistrust, fear and deep suspicion. I could only hope
that you made efforts to deal with these unpleasant reactions. The feud
leading to the factionalisation of the Party made me to invite some
select elders of the Party to mediate again. Since I was engage din
assignment outside the country, I was not able to join the three members
of the elders group that presented the report of our mediation to you. I
was briefed that you agreed to work on the report. It would appear that
for now, the ball is in your court and the Leader of the Party. I can
only wish you every success in your handling of the issue. But time is
not your friend nor that of the Party is this respect. With leadership
come not just power and authority to do and to undo, but also
responsibility and accountability to do and undo rightly, well and
justly. Time and opportunity are a treasure that must be appreciated and
shared to enhance their value and utilitarianism.
It is instructive that after half a dozen African Presidents have spoken
to me to help you with unifying the Party based on your request to them
and I came in company of Senator Ahmadu Ali to discuss the whole issue
with you again, strangely, you denied ever requesting or authorising any
President to talk to me. I was not surprise because I am used to such a
situation of denial coming from you. Of course, I was not deterred. I
have done and I will continue to do and say what is first, in the best
interest f Nigerian and second, what is in the best interest of the
Party. I stand for the aim, objectives, mission and vision of the
founding fathers of the Party, to use it as a wholesome instrument of
unity, good governance, development, prosperity and progress of Nigeria
and all Nigerians. I have contributed to this goal in the past and no
one who has been raised to position on the platform of the Party should
shy away from further contribution to avoid division and destruction of
the Party any altar whatsoever.
Debates and
dialogues are necessary to promote the interest and work for the
progress of any human institution or organisation. In such a situation,
agreements and disagreements will occur but in the final analysis,
leadership will pursue the course of action that benefit the majority
and serve the purpose of the organization, not the purpose of an
individual or a minority. In that process, unity is sustained and
everybody becomes a winner. 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. 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. Please, move
away from fringes or the extremes and move to the centre and carry ALL
along. Time is running out.
I will only
state that as far as your responsibility as Chief Security Officer of
the nation is concerned for Nigerians, a lot more needs to be done to
enhance the feeling of security amongst them. Whether one talks of the
issue of militancy in the Niger Delta, the underlying causes of which
have not been adequately addressed, if addressed at all, kidnapping,
piracy, abductions and armed robberies which rather than abate are on
the increase and Boko Haram which requires carrot and stick approach to
lay its ghost to rest, the general security situation cannot be
described as comforting. Knowing the genesis of Boko Haram and the
reasons for escalation of violence from that sector with the widespread
and ramification of the menace of Boko Haram within and outside the
Nigerian borders, conventional military actions based on standard phases
of military operations alone will not permanently and effectively deal
with the issue of Boko Haram. There are many strand or layers of causes
that require different solutions, approaches or antidotes. Drug,
indoctrination, fundamentalism, gun trafficking, hate culture, human
trafficking, money laundering, religion, poverty, unemployment, poor
education, revenge and international terrorism are among factors that
have effect on Boko Haram. One single prescription cannot cure all these
ailments that combine in Boko Haram. Should we pursue war against
violence without understanding the root causes of the violence and
applying solutions to deal with all underlying factors – root, stem and
branches? Nigeria is bleeding and the hemorrhage must be stopped. I am
convinced that you can initiate measures that will bring all hands on
deck to deal effectively with this great menace.
Mr President, the most important qualification for your present
position is your being a Nigerian. Whatever else you may be besides
being a Nigerian is only secondary for this purpose. And if majority of
Nigerians who voted had not cast their votes for you, you could not have
been there. For you to allow yourself to be “possessed”, so to say, to
the exclusion of most of the rest of Nigerians as an “Ijaw man” is a
mistake that should never have been allowed to happen. Yes, you have to
be born in one part of Nigeria to be a Nigerian if not naturalized but
the Nigerian President must be above ethnic factionalism. And those who
prop you up as of, and for ‘Ijaw nation’ are not your friends genuinely,
not friends of Nigeria nor friends of ‘Ijaw nation’, they tout about.
To allow or tacitly encourage people of ‘Ijaw nation’ to throw insults
on other Nigerians from other parts of the country and threaten fire and
brimstone to protect your interest as an Ijaw man is myopic and your
not openly quieting them is even more unfortunate. You know that I have
expressed my views and feelings to you on this issue in the past but I
have come to realize that many others feel the way I have earlier
expressed to you. It is not the best way of making friendship among all
sections of Nigeria. You don’t have shared and wholesome society without
inclusive political, economic and social sustainable development and
good governance. Also declaring that one section of the country votes
for you as if you got no votes from other sections can only be an
unnecessary talk, to put it mildly. After all and at the end of the day,
democracy is a game of numbers. Even, if you would not need people’s
vote across the country again, your political Party will.
Allegation of keeping over 1000 people on political watch
list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers
and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons
to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where
Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for
the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. Here again,
there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to
learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was
elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them. And no
one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political
ambition or interest of anyone. The Yoruba adage says, “The man with
whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the
succulent fruit.” Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose
you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is permissive
of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have
wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must
teach some lesson.
Presidential
assistance for a murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation
to welcome him home can only be in bad taste generally but particularly
to the family of this victim. Assisting criminals to evade justice
cannot be part of the job of the presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some
quarters, is he being recruited to do for you what he had done for
Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learned his lesson. Let us
continue to watch.
As Head of
Government, the buck of the performance and non-performance stops at
your table and let nobody tell you anything to the contrary. Most of our
friends and development partners are worried and they see what we
pretend to cover up. They are worried about issue of security internally
and on our coastal waters including heavy oil theft, alias bunkering
and piracy. They are worried about corruption and what we are doing or
not doing about it. Corruption has reached the level of impunity. It is
also necessary to be mindful that corruption and injustice are fertile
breeding ground for terrorism and political instability. And if you are
not ready to name, shame, prosecute and stoutly fight against
corruption, whatever you do will be hollow. It will be a laughing
matter. They are worried about how we play our role in our region and
indeed the world. In a way, I share some of their concerns because there
are notable areas where we can do more or do better than we are doing.
Some of our development partners were politically frustrated to withdrw
from Olokola LNG project which happily was not yet the same with Brass. I
initiated them both. They were viable and would have taken us close to
Qatar as LNG producing country. Please do not frustrate Brass LNG and in
the interest of what is best for Nigerian economy, bring back OK LNG
into active implementation The major international oil companies have
withheld investment in projects in Nigeria. If they have not completely
moved out, they are disinvesting. Nigeria, which is the Saudi of Africa
in oil and gas terms, is being overtaken by Angola only because
necessary decisions are not being made timely and appropriately. Mr.
President, let me again plead with you to be decisive on the oil and gas
sector so that Nigeria may not lag behind. Oil with gas is being
discovered all over Africa, New technology is producing oil from shale
elsewhere. We should make hay while the sun shines. I hope we can still
save OK and Brass LNG projects. Three things are imperative in the oil
and gas sector – stop oil stealing, encourage investment especially by
the IOC’s and improve the present poor management of the industry. On
the economy generally, it suffices to say that we could do better than
we are doing. The signs are there and the expectations are high. The
most dangerous ticking bomb is youth unemployment particularly in the
face of unbridled corruption and obscene rulers’ opulence.
Let me repeat that as far as the issue of corruption,
security and oil stealing is concerned, it is only apt to say that when
the guard becomes the thief, nothing is safe, secure or protected in the
house. We must all remember that corruption, inequity and injustice
breed poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence and wittingly or
unwittingly create terrorist because the opulence of the governor can
only lead to the leanness of the governed. But God never sleeps; He is
watching, waiting and bidding His time to dispense justice.
The serious and strong allegation of non-remitting of about
$7 billion from NNPC to Central Bank occurring from export of some
300,000 barrels per day, amounting to $900 million a month, to be
refined and with refined products of only $400 million returned and
Atlantic Oil loading about 130,000 barrels sold by Shell and managed on
behalf on NPDC with no sale proceeds paid into NPDC account is
incredible. The letter of Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria to you on
non-remittance to Central Bank buttressed the allegation. This
allegation will not fly away by non-action, cover-up, denial or bribing
possible investigators. Please deal with this allegation transparently
and let the truth be known.
The dramatis
personae in this allegation and whom they are working for will one day
be public-knowledge. Those who know are watching if the National
Assembly will not be accomplice in the heinous crime and naked grand
corruption. May God grant you the grace for at least one effective
corrective action against hight corruption, which seems to stink all
around you in your government.
The
international community knows us as we are and maybe more than we claim
to know ourselves. And a good friend will tell you the truth no matter
how bitter. Denials and cover-up of what is obvious, true and factual
can detract from honour, dignity and respect. Truth and transparency
dignify and earn respect. And life without passion for something can
only achieve little. I was taken aback when an African Development Bank
Director informed me that the Federal Government is putting the water
project for Port Harcourt originally initiated by the Federal Government
to be financed by the bank, in the cooler since the Amaechi-Jonathan
face-off. Amaechi, whether he likes it or not, will cease to be Governor
over Rivers State which Port-Harcourt will continue to need improvement
of their water supply. President Jonathan should rise above such
pettiness and unpresidential act, if it is coming from him. But if not,
and it is the action of overzealous officials reading the situation, he
should give appropriate instruction for the project to be pursued. And
if there are other projects anywhere suffering the same coolness as a
result of similar situation, let national interest supersede personal or
political feud and the machinations of satanic officials.
Mr. President, let me plead with you for a few things that
will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. Don’t always
consider critics on national issues as enemies. Some of them may be as
patriotic and nationalistic as you and I who had been in government.
Some of them have as much passion for Nigeria as we have. I saw that
among Nigerians living abroad, hence, I initiated Nigerians in Diaspora
Organisation, NIDO. You must also differentiate between malevolent,
mischievous and objective criticism. Analyses, criticisms and
commentaries on government actions and policies are sinew of democracy.
Please, Mr. President, be very wary of assistants, aides and
collaborators who look for enemies for you. I have seen them with you
and some were around me when I was in your position. I knew how not to
allow them create enemies for me. If you allow them, everybody except
them will be your enemy. They are more dangerous than identified
adversaries. May God save leaders from sycophants. They know what you
want to hear to hear and they fee you with it essentially for their own
selfish interest. As far as you and Nigeria are concerned, they are
wreckers. Where were they when God used others to achieve God’s will in
your life. They possess you now for their interest. No interest should
be higher or more important than Nigerian interest to you. You have
already made history and please do nothing to mar history. I supported
you as I supported Yar’Adua. For me, there is neither North-South divide
nor Christian-Moslem divide but one Nigeria.
Let me put it, that talks, loose and serious, abound about
possible abuse and misuse of the military and legitimate security
apparatus for unwholesome personal and political interest to the
detriment of the honour, dignity, oath and professionalism of these
honourable and patriotic forces. Let me urge authorities not to embark
on such destructive path for an important element of our national
make-up. The roles of the military and the security agencies should be
held sacrosanct in the best interest of the nation. Again, let not
history repeat itself here.
I believe
that with what Nigerian has gone through in the past, the worst should
have already happened. It must be your responsibility as the captain of
the ship to prevent the ship from going aground or from a shipwreck. For
anybody close to you saying that if the worst happens, he or she would
not be involved is an idle and loose talk. If we leave God to do His
will and we don’t rely only on our own efforts, plans and wisdom, God
will always do His best. And the power of money and belief in it is
satanically tempting. As I go around Nigeria and the world, I always
come across Nigerians who are first-class citizens of the world and who
are doing well where they are and who are passionate to do well for
Nigeria. My hope for our country lies in these people. They abound and I
hope that all of us will realize that they are the jewels of Nigeria
wherever they may be and not those who arrogate to themselves eternal
for ephemeral.
Also to my embarrassment
at times, I learned more about what is going on in the public and
private sectors of Nigeria from our development partners, international
institutions and those transacting business in Nigerian most times I was
abroad. On returning home to verify the veracity of these stories, I
found some of them not only to be true but more horrifying than they
were presented abroad. Other countries look up to Nigeria for regional
leadership. Failure on the part of Nigeria will create a schism that
will be bad for the region.
Knowing what
happens around you most of which you know of and condone or deny, this
letter will provoke cacophony from hired and unhired attackers but I
will maintain my serenity because by this letter, I have done my duty to
you as I have always done, to your government, to the Party, PDP, and
to our country, Nigeria. If I stuck out my neck and God used me and
others as instrumetns to work hard for you to reach where you are today
in what I considered the best political interest of Nigeria, tagging me
as your enemy or the enemy of your administration by you, you kin or
your aides can only be regarded as ridiculous to extreme, If I see any
danger to your life, I will point it out to you or ward it off as I have
done in the past. But, I will not support what I believe is not in the
best interest of Nigeria, no matter who is putting it forward or who is
behind it. Mr. President, I have passed the stage of being flattered,
intimidated, threatened, frightened, induced or bought. I am never
afraid to agree or disagree but it will always be on principles, and if
on politics, in the national interest. After my prison experience in the
close proximity of and sharing facilities with an asylum in Yola, there
is nothing worse for anyone alive and well. And that was for a military
dictator to pertuate himself in power. Death is the end of all human
beings and may it come when God wills it to come. The harassment of my
relations and friends and innuendo that are coming from the Government
security apparatus on whether they belong to new PDP or supporters of
defected Governors and which are possibly authorized or are the work of
overzealous aides and those reading your lips to act in your interest
will be counter-productive. It is abuse of security apparatus. Such
abuse took place last in the time of Abacha. Lies and untruths about me
emanating from the presidency is too absurd to contemplate. Saying that I
recommend a wanted criminal by UK and USA authorities to you or your
aides to supplant legitimately elected PDP leader in South-West is not
only unwise and crude but also disingenuous. Nobody in his or her right
senses will believe such a story and surely nobody in Ogun State or
South-West zone will believe such nonsense. It is a clear indication of
how unscrupulous and unethical the presidency can go to pursue your
personal and political interest. Nothing else matters. What a pity!
Nothing at this stage of my life would prevent me from standing for
whatever I consider to be in the best interest of Nigeria – all Nigeria,
Africa and the world in that order. I believe strongly that a united
and strong PDP at all costs is in the best interest of Nigeria. In these
respects, if our interests and views coincide, together we will march.
Putting a certified unashamed criminal wanted abroad to face justice and
who has greatly contributed to corruption within the judiciary on a
high profile of politics as you and your aides have done with the man
you enthrone as PDP Zonal leader in the South-West is the height of
disservice to this country politically and height of insult to the
people of South-West in general and members of PDP in that zone in
particular. For me, my politics goes with principles and morality and I
will not be a party to highly profiling criminals in politics, not to
say one would be my zonal leader. It destroys what PDP stands for from
its inception. By the government not acting positively and promptly in
the case of Buruji Kashamu wanted in the US for drug trafficking and
money laundering crimes, it is only confirming the persistent reports of
complicity or involvement of high-level political figures in drug
trafficking and condonation of the crime for political benefit.
Whichever way, it is a very dangerous development for Nigeria. Sooner or
later, drug barons will be in control of large real estates, banks and
other seemingly legitimate businesses; in elections they will buy
candidates, parties and eventually buy power or be in power themselves.
It may be instructive if I quote fairly extensively from Lansana
Gberie’s recent paper titled, ‘State Officials and Their Involvement in
Drug Trafficking in West Africa”:
“… The
controversial and puzzling case of Buruji Kashamu, a powerful figure in
the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suggests that a successful
and wealthy politician’s association with drug trafficking is hardly
disabling. Kashamu was indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District
of Illinois in 1998 for conspiracy to import and distribute heroin to
the United States. The indictment named him under his own name as well
as two supposed aliases: ‘Alaji’ and ‘Kasmal’. His whereabouts were
unknown at the time, however, and his co-accused were tried and
convicted. Later that year, he was found living comfortably in England,
and, on receipt of an extradition request from the US, the UK
authorities arrested Kashamu. After a very protracted proceeding lasting
until 2003, however, an English Judge refused to extradite Kashamu on
grounds of uncertainty about his true identity. Kashamu triumphantly
returned to Nigeria and soon after became a key political figure. He is
now believed to be very close to President Goodluck Jonathan, because of
his ability to mobilise votes in key States in Western Nigeria. The US
government reviewed Kashamu’s case, with the famous Judge Richard Posner
presiding. Posner concluded that while Kashamu’s identity remains
murky, there is little doubt that the figure now exercising authority in
Nigeria’s PDP is the same as Kashamu the ‘Alaji’ who was indicted for
conspiracy to smuggle illicit drugs into the United States. Despite
this, the Nigerian government has persistently ignored calls by civil
society groups to investigate Kashamu and extradite him to the US. On 2
July 2013, the Federal Court in Lagos determined that Kashamu should be
extradited to the US. KAshamu immediately appealed against this
decision, yet in November 2013, a new Panel of Judges constituted by the
President of the Court of Appeal unanimously held that his appeal
lacked merit, and that Kashamu should be extradited. His extradition to
the United States will certainly set an important precedent… unless, of
course, he uses his political skills and contacts to continue avoiding
it…”
God is never a supporter of evil and will
surely save PDP and Nigeria from the hands of destroyers. If everything
fails and the Party cannot be retrieved from the hands of criminals and
commercial jobbers and discredited touts, men and women of honour,
principles, morality and integrity must step aside to rethink.
Let me also appeal to and urge defected, dissatisfied, disgruntled and
in any way displeased PDP Governors, legislators, party officials and
party members to respond positively if the President seriously takes the
initiative to find mutually agreeable solution to the current problems
for which he alone has the key and the initiative. I have heard it said
particularly within the presidency circle that the disaffected Governors
and members of PDP are my children. I begin to wonder if, from top to
bottom, any PDP member in elective office today is not directly or
indirectly a beneficiary and, so to say, my political child. Anyone who
may claim otherwise will be like a river that has forgotten its source.
But like a good father, all I seek is peaceful and amicable solution
that will re-unite the family for victory and progress of the family and
the nation and nothing else.
In a
democracy, leaders are elected to lighten the burden of the people, give
them freedom, choice and equity and ensure good governance and not to
deceive them, burden them, oppress them, render them hopeless and
helpless. Nothing should be done to undermine the tenets, and values of
democratic principles and practice. Tyranny in all its manifestation may
be appealing to leader in trying times of political feud or
disagreement. Democracy must, however, prevail and be held as
sacrosanct. Today, you are the Present of Nigeria, I acknowledge you and
respect you as such.
The act of an
individual has a way of rubbing off on the generality. May it never be
the wish of majority of Nigerians that Goodluck Jonathan, by his acts of
omission and commission, would be the first and last Nigerian President
ever to come from Ijaw tribe. The idea and the possibility must give
all of us food for thought. That was never what I worked for and that
would never be what I will work for. But legacy is made of such or the
opposite.
My last piece of advice, Mr.
President, is that you should learn the lesson of history and please do
not take Nigeria and Nigerians for granted. Move away from culture of
denials, cover-ups and proxies and deal honesty, sincerely,
transparently with Nigerians to regain their trust and confidence.
Nigerians are no fools, they can see, they can hear, the can talk among
themselves, they can think, they can compare and they can act in the
interest of their country and in their own self-interest. They keenly
watch all actions and deeds that are associated with you if they cannot
believe your words. I know you have the power to save PDP and the
country. I beg you to have the courage and the will with patriotism to
use the power for the good of the country. Please uphold some form of
national core values. I will appeal to all Nigerians particularly all
members of PDP to respect and dignify the Office of the President. We
must all know that individuals will come and go but the Office will
remain.
Once again, time is of the
essence. Investors are already retreating from Nigeria, adopting ‘wait
and see attitude’ and knowing what we are deficient of, it will take
time to reverse the trend and may miss some golden opportunities.
Accept, Dear Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Olusegun Obasanjo
PS
I crave your indulgence to share the contents of this
letter, in the first instance, with General Ibrahim Babangida and
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who, on a number of occasions in recent
times, have shared with me their agonizing thoughts, concerns and
expressions on most of the issues I have raised in this letter
concerning the situation and future of our country. I also crave your
indulgence to share the content with General Yakubu Danjuma and Dr. Alex
Ekwueme, whose concerns for and commitments to the good of Nigeria have
been known to be strong. The limit of sharing of the contents may be
extended as time goes on.
Christmas
is not the only reason why many people in Spain look forward to the end
of the year. Another reason is that annually, thousands win huge sums
of money from El Gordo, meaning the ‘The Fat One’ in Spanish. It is one
of the largest prizes in lottery. As the day of the draw approaches, a
lottery fever grips Spain and millions of people join lengthy lines to
buy lottery tickets for a chance to win a share of The Fat One. In 2012,
the equivalent of about N500 billion was shared among winners.
