By AFOLABI GAMBARI
Going by former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s declaration on August 4 this year that it was unthinkable for him to support any presidential bid by the new flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, very few, if at all, could predict that both men would meet so soon after, let alone one publicly endorsing the other. For starters, Obasanjo had on the said date on the side-lines of an international event told bemused journalists that Atiku was the least qualified to lead Nigeria. “From all that I know about Atiku, God will not forgive me if I use my influence to foist him on Nigeria,” Obasanjo charged, although he characteristically shunned further questions on whether he was a member of Atiku’s household to have known the latter so deeply that he could not be faulted on his declaration.
Earlier in Volume 2 of his published book ‘My Watch’ (page 31 and 32), Obasanjo had said of Atiku who was effectively his deputy while he was president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007: “What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his (Atiku’s) parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.” The foregoing suggested clearly that Atiku could have been devil incarnate and Obasanjo was a saint, except that the latter knew he could not possibly be. Still, not a few who read the lines got confused with regard to what to make of the ‘revelation’. Obasanjo had come short of stating clearly Atiku’s ‘sins’ against him as an individual or what he had indeed done against Nigeria as a nation.
Fast forward to October 6 when the PDP held its presidential primaries ahead of the 2019 general election whereupon Atiku edged eleven others to emerge as the party’s flag bearer. It could well be that Obasanjo did not expect the outcome. He could have also expected it. Whatever!
By Thursday last week, however, news filtered that Atiku was scheduled to pay Obasanjo a visit at his Library Complex in Abeokuta. It turned out to be a somewhat choreographed event. Obasanjo did not only expect Atiku, he also sought to make huge capital of it. As a mark of endorsement, he addressed Atiku as ‘President-to-be’ in his prepared speech. Obasanjo declared that he had forgiven Atiku for offences that were not clearly stated and surprisingly added that he was sure Atiku had ‘learnt some good lessons’ to ‘make amends as necessary and as desirable’. He practically declared total support for his visitor while hinting at helping him burnish an international image that has been variously speculated as less sparkling. “And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do,” he further said. He invoked God in the speech, apparently to rub it in that he was on a divine mission to rescue Nigeria for the umpteenth time. However, it would not be ascertained if it was to re-position himself in the ‘scheme of things’, having seemingly lost favour with Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent President. As many commentators are now saying, could it be that he found it compelling to embrace Atiku in order to just curry relevance? The months ahead would reveal exactly how this plunge into the deep works out for him. Hardly had Atiku and his entourage left Abeokuta, however, than the Presidency launched what looked like a tirade, suggesting some panic mode. One after the other, the spokespersons took turns to condemn Obasanjo’s endorsement of a man they considered a formidable challenger to their principal in next year’s election. Is this a sign of what to expect in the months leading to the election? Many would have thought the presidential spokespersons would stick to highlighting the successes recorded by the Buhari administration instead of allowing the mending of fence by two political enemies in Abeokuta to distract the administration itself from whatever plans it sets to execute before the 2019 election campaign commences full blast. It is just as well that Atiku Campaign Organisation has counseled the Buhari team to focus more on governance. Everything points to interesting days and weeks ahead.
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Afolabi Gambari, Journalist, Environmentalist, Social Commentator lives in Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: +2348064651922, +2348116706849
By AFOLABI GAMBARI
Going by former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s declaration on August 4 this year that it was unthinkable for him to support any presidential bid by the new flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, very few, if at all, could predict that both men would meet so soon after, let alone one publicly endorsing the other. For starters, Obasanjo had on the said date on the side-lines of an international event told bemused journalists that Atiku was the least qualified to lead Nigeria. “From all that I know about Atiku, God will not forgive me if I use my influence to foist him on Nigeria,” Obasanjo charged, although he characteristically shunned further questions on whether he was a member of Atiku’s household to have known the latter so deeply that he could not be faulted on his declaration.
Earlier in Volume 2 of his published book ‘My Watch’ (page 31 and 32), Obasanjo had said of Atiku who was effectively his deputy while he was president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007: “What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his (Atiku’s) parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.” The foregoing suggested clearly that Atiku could have been devil incarnate and Obasanjo was a saint, except that the latter knew he could not possibly be. Still, not a few who read the lines got confused with regard to what to make of the ‘revelation’. Obasanjo had come short of stating clearly Atiku’s ‘sins’ against him as an individual or what he had indeed done against Nigeria as a nation.
Fast forward to October 6 when the PDP held its presidential primaries ahead of the 2019 general election whereupon Atiku edged eleven others to emerge as the party’s flag bearer. It could well be that Obasanjo did not expect the outcome. He could have also expected it. Whatever!
By Thursday last week, however, news filtered that Atiku was scheduled to pay Obasanjo a visit at his Library Complex in Abeokuta. It turned out to be a somewhat choreographed event. Obasanjo did not only expect Atiku, he also sought to make huge capital of it. As a mark of endorsement, he addressed Atiku as ‘President-to-be’ in his prepared speech. Obasanjo declared that he had forgiven Atiku for offences that were not clearly stated and surprisingly added that he was sure Atiku had ‘learnt some good lessons’ to ‘make amends as necessary and as desirable’. He practically declared total support for his visitor while hinting at helping him burnish an international image that has been variously speculated as less sparkling. “And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do,” he further said. He invoked God in the speech, apparently to rub it in that he was on a divine mission to rescue Nigeria for the umpteenth time. However, it would not be ascertained if it was to re-position himself in the ‘scheme of things’, having seemingly lost favour with Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent President. As many commentators are now saying, could it be that he found it compelling to embrace Atiku in order to just curry relevance? The months ahead would reveal exactly how this plunge into the deep works out for him. Hardly had Atiku and his entourage left Abeokuta, however, than the Presidency launched what looked like a tirade, suggesting some panic mode. One after the other, the spokespersons took turns to condemn Obasanjo’s endorsement of a man they considered a formidable challenger to their principal in next year’s election. Is this a sign of what to expect in the months leading to the election? Many would have thought the presidential spokespersons would stick to highlighting the successes recorded by the Buhari administration instead of allowing the mending of fence by two political enemies in Abeokuta to distract the administration itself from whatever plans it sets to execute before the 2019 election campaign commences full blast. It is just as well that Atiku Campaign Organisation has counseled the Buhari team to focus more on governance. Everything points to interesting days and weeks ahead.
—
Afolabi Gambari, Journalist, Environmentalist, Social Commentator lives in Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: +2348064651922, +2348116706849