Nigeria Village Square

Ex- President Obasanjo's Unfinished Monkey Businesses

 

 

 

 

 

Obasanjo’s unfinished monkey businesses

By Dan Azumi Kofarmata, Kano

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Believing in his own powers and an acrobatic ability to interpret the Nigerian Constitution, laws and rules in his favour, ex-president Obasanjo is out there creating all sorts of mischief. Having gotten satisfied with the results of his “do or die” political battlefield “victory” over Nigerians, particularly over these four Nigerians, namely: 1.) Former military President retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), 2.) Former retired military Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari, 3.) Former retired National Security Adviser General Aliyu Muhammadu Gusau, and last but not the least, 4.) Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, he took well-deserved holidays in the Caribbean country of Jamaica , as ex-president extraordinary and plenipotentiary – whatever that means.

 

 

 

Please do not ask me what else took our beloved ex-president to this much-loved European holiday destination. However, a pertinent question begets the minds of many well-wishers of the “leader of modern Nigeria ” – ex-president Obasanjo. The curious question is who paid for the luxurious holiday trip? The speculative Nigerians very well know the answer to this question. Therefore, I need not waste time trying to mine the answer here, as probably Messrs Sowore (saharareporters.com) and Elendu (elendureports.com) will soon do a good job to scoop the answer for us. However, I would discuss some of the ex-president’s recent activities of national interest.

 

 

 

I would start with his recent activities, especially the immediate past national strike actions by Nigerians, led by the indomitable labour unions, particularly the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The national strike actions were against the unsolicited “farewell gifts” from the outgoing monstrous administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. On May 27 2007 , Obasanjo gave Nigerians a thank you very much parting gifts of: a 15% increase in petroleum products prices across the board. Also, in the Gift Pack, were 100% increase in Value Added Tax (VAT), fire sales of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries and Egbin power plant respectively, and the cancellation of the implementation of the 15% salary raise for federal workers. These were the bonds of contention in the whole debacle that lasted four momentous and successful days.

 

 

 

The four-day “do or die” warfare was a carryover of Obasanjo’s personal war against Nigerians, which he started in the remaining dying days of his infamous ruler ship of eight straight inglorious years (1999-2007). And the Winners were: Nigerians! The peoples Garrison Commanders – Omar and Esele yielded only 7.5% petrol price increase in order not to totally humiliate President Yar Adua (Obasanjo’s Phillip Effiong), the man who presented the instruments of surrender to the peoples Garrison Commanders on that historic and memorable June 23, 2007. Otherwise, the defeat or conquest was absolute total and deservedly humiliating! Characteristically, Obasanjo feigned ignorance of the four-day strike action: claiming that he shut the world after him soon after he landed in Jamaica . Who else would not do the same giving the bounteous natural endowments of Jamaica . May I suggest to President UMYA to do some surgical operations at the NNPC, PPPRA, DPR and BPE – remember, the Chinese government showed the World how to punish erring public servants! All what we calling for in Nigeria is for some heads to roll in the above-mentioned named organisations that led the nation into very painful agony and are still unremorseful!

 

 

 

Obasanjo’s poodle, President Yar Adua (although he has recently denied being one) could have saved himself from the humiliating embarrassment of having to continue with the dastardly and ill-conceived punitive policies left behind by Obasanjo had he heeded the calling of generality of Nigerians to immediately suspend all those last minutes policies he inherited from ex-president Obasanjo. Yar Adua faltered and at the end, he became the victim of the actions of his benefactor. The rest is now a negative history as far as this incidence is concerned.

 

 

 

The next landmine left by ex-president Obasanjo was the three-month old strike action embarked upon by the indefatigable academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Yar Adua successfully cleared the mess and the Universities are now reopened. The economic and social costs inflicted on the national economy and parents are beyond anyone’s imagination. Obasanjo does not care a bit about the costs implications of his bad education policies since all his siblings go to school abroad or in his own private schools in Nigeria . He owns highbrow private schools and capping his investment in the highly lucrative private education sector with a private University, licensed by him while still the president of the country.

 

 

 

Conflicts of interest do not matter under Obasanjo’s presidency. That is why in addition, a Presidential Library fund was raised for him and massive facilities donated to his private NGO – the Africa Leadership Forum (ALF) while as sitting president. In addition, the Obasanjo Holdings Limited was awash with all manners of contracts, acquisition of choice public auctioned properties, oil block awards, crude oil lifting  awards, oil products imports and miscellaneous projects that are fully funded and patronised by his government and businesses closely associated with his presidency. Yet he fought corruption, nepotism and other forms of malfeasances gallantly, with Nuhu Ribadu, Oby, El-Rufai and Ngozi as Garrison Commanders and enforcers!

 

 

 

If I may ask, where has the enfant terrible anti-corruption Czar, motor mouth Nuhu Ribadu gone? Constitutional immunity expired on May 29, 2007 and we are not seeing any “mother of all arrests and prosecutions” of the 30 something ex-Governors and their accomplices earlier promised by the untiring anti-corruption Garrison Commander. Is Mr. Ribadu taking a break as he did during the controversial Confab? Nigerians and the World are waiting anxiously. Please, Mr Ribadu start doing something; at least investigate Godwin Dabo’s recent allegation of ex-president Obasanjo’s billions or handover the globes if your hands are tied.

 

 

 

The next mischief by Obasanjo was the coup he staged against his bosom friend Chief Tony Anenih (Mr Fix it-cum-enforcer). The plot to remove Anenih from the Chairmanship of the nebulous board of trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was hatched in his very presence several months ago. Ironically, Chief Anenih participated in digging his own bottomless-grave with Obasanjo as the undertaker. Therefore, what Obasanjo did soon after he returned from his luxurious Jamaican holiday break should not surprise any one of us; after all, it is all a familiar “family affairs” kind of a thing, as they always say when there is a crack in the PDP close-knit family!

 

 

 

Poor Tony Anenih, it is now your own turn to receive Obasanjo’s dose of bitter parting of ways gift, after years of absolute loyalty and meritorious service to the Life Patron/Leader and Father of modern Nigeria. You need not shed tears. You were the supreme officer in charge of administering the same bitter pills to your other forsaken pals before now. Adieu. Anenih, your time is up. Good-bye to your well-deserved timely journey to Obasanjo’ political graveyard littered with corpses of used-and-dumped political yes-men. The over 300 billion-naira tombstone to be placed beside your political graveside, built with the money meant for repairing Nigerian roads is now the sudden subject of investigation by the National Assembly, at the behest of your benefactor, ex president Obasanjo! What a pity!

 

 

 

The next ex-president Obasanjo’s mischief is directed at the beleaguered Presidency of Umaru Musa Yar Adua (UMYA). First, Obasanjo has commandeered one of the posh Aso Villa Guest Houses as his permanent resident to be used during his 4-day a week stay in Abuja . Second, he succeeded in cloning the leadership of the National Assembly in his own mirror image, reflecting his militaristic dictatorial mindset. For example, a member of Obasanjo’s constituency now heads the National Assembly; Nigeria ’s military-cum-“civilian” autocratic ruling class. Third, he has directed the ruling party to establish a Legislative Agenda Committee, which he now heads. Therefore, from now onwards, in addition to executive meddling, Obasanjo has gotten the instrument to meddle at the legislative level as well.

 

 

 

This means everything that needs legislative attention must first pass through and receives the Godfather’s approval and blessings through the Legislative Agenda Committee before it goes to the National Assembly for ceremonial legislative consideration and action. Fourth, today, over 40 days since the swearing-in ceremony of President UMYA as the anointed successor to ex-president Obasanjo on May 29, 2007 , the nation is yet to have a properly constituted government at the centre. In other words, Nigeria does not have a properly constituted Federal Executive Council (FEC). The reason for this longest delay in the formation of the federal cabinet is that, President UMYA was waiting for the return of his anointer from his undisturbed holiday break in the sunny and fun-studded country of Jamaica .

 

 

 

Take for example, in the case of France and Britain , this exercise was done swiftly and their respective governments are up and running and serving their peoples. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain formed a government of “all the talents” within 48 hours of becoming Prime Minister. For example, he named a 41-year old former rival, David Miliband, foreign secretary, appointed the first woman home secretary, Jacqui Smith; and Edward Balls, education secretary and Alistair Darling as his own replacement at Her Majesty’s treasury. What type of team do we expect from President UMYA? Only Obasanjo can provide the answer to this silly question! Of course, UMYA has made history by appointing the first woman Head of federal Civil Service (HOS). I wish to recommend and at the same time challenge that he should go beyond his anointer by appointing a first female Minister of petroleum and energy, first female Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), first female Minister of Foreign Affairs. In addition, he should re-appointing females as Ministers in charge of the ministry of finance. The reason for my making this suggestion and challenge is because based on the recent experience of the previous administration of ex-president Obasanjo, it seems women are the best and most trustworthy when it comes to handling economic and financial affairs in Nigeria for now.

 

 

 

 

 

Upon return from Jamaica , Obasanjo held a marathon presidential-styled meeting with all the State Governors and leading politicians of the Southwest geopolitical zone in his palatial Aso Villa extension at Otta farmhouse. Ex-president Obasanjo conveyed the meeting solely to strategise on how the nation will be governed by “them” through their anointed surrogate, President UMYA. Remember, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) (instigated and funded by Obasanjo) had earlier issued a warning to President UMYA against the perceived “northernisation” of “their government.” Therefore, it was only after the Otta farmhouse meeting that the list of the possible ministerial nominees was compiled, cleared and approved by Obasanjo and sent to the Senator David Mark-led National Assembly Senate for the necessary ceremonial confirmation. This is to say that, the nation has now been presented with those lucky Nigerians that have made it to the list and scaled through Obasanjo’s scrutiny. Nigerians await the next move from here.

 

 

 

The next issue that ex-president Obasanjo confronted upon his return from vacationing in the Caribbean nation of Jamaica was this so-called Government of National Unity (GNU). But wait a minute; Isyaku Ibrahim and Col Umar Dangiwa Abubakar (rtd) have raised some fundamental questions on this one. They asked is Nigeria at war? Are Nigerians not united? Where is the threat coming from? Who are people behind the threat to our national unity and integrity? Many Nigerians alike believe that since the nation is at peace with itself and since UMYA and PDP scored over 70% in the April 21 2007 presidential election, why is the quest for the formation of a contraption by name GNU?

 

 

 

The general feeling in Nigeria and elsewhere is that, the only threat to Nigeria ’s peace, unity and integrity is coming from the results of the April 2007 general elections heavily rigged by Obasanjo and his ruling PDP apparatchiks. That is why the anointed President UMYA is uncomfortable with the elections petitions filed before the Election Petition Tribunal by the two presidential contenders – former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC) and former Head of State Retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) respectively.

 

 

 

The thinking within President UMYA’s own strategists is to neutralise this threat by way of GNU contraption. The GNU is strategically designed to disorganise the serious minded members of the two opposition political parties posing serious threats to the continued existence of the rigged presidential mandate. To that extent, UMYA’s strategists have succeeded. However, their success is only to the extent of formalising the crossing over of the ANPP and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) “core” leaderships to the ruling PDP. Their acceptance to join the GNU signifies their formal annihilation into the mainstream ruling PDP.

 

 

 

Nevertheless, they have all along been members of the ruling PDP. They retained their respective identities in order to continue to serve as PDP’s Trojan horses in the fake Nigerian multi-party “democracy.” Least we forget what happened to the core leaderships of the ANPP in Jigawa, Kebbi and Sokoto States , just before the April 2007 general elections. The annihilation of these three ANPP States by the monstrous PDP is enough testimony to the ruling party’s annihilation strategy designed to make Nigeria a one-party state! Thanks to the patriotic leadership of the AC for the rejection of the invitation extended to it by the monstrous PDP to “come and Chop.” This shows that there are still men and women of conscience in our national body politics no matter how small the number and past antecedents. There is still hope in the Nigeria project.

 

 

 

Therefore, Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Retired General Muhammadu Buhari should know better by now. For example, over the years, many Nigerians know that the ANPP and about 45 other so-called registered political associations are surrogate parties of the ruling PDP. These fake political parties were formed, funded and registered by a click of members of “intelligence” community within the ruling party working very closely the Nigerian establishment and INEC. They are nothing but Trojan horses of the ruling PDP. For example, General Buhari was always used by the ANPP to win local elections in the “ANPP” controlled States and dumped after by those who call the shots within the closed and secretive ANPP/PDP strategic alliance. The Chief grandmasters of the game were/are: Chief Don Etiebet, Governors Ali Modu Sheriff, Ibrahim Shekarau and ex-governors (some of them now Senators) Adamu Aliero, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Ahmed Sani (Yarima) and Attahiru Bafarawa. Therefore, the GNU contraption is another way ex-president Obasanjo intend to scatter the opposition and destroy the credible legal actions already in progress against the continued existence of the present government put in place by him.

 

 

 

Last but not the least, the National Chairman of the ruling PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali (rtd colonel) is embittered, angry and likely to be embattled with his anointer, ex-president Obasanjo. This is because Obasanjo has become a larger and more influential figure at the WADATA Plaza party’s Headquarters. As the new overlord – Executive Life Chairman of the nebulous Board of Trustees (BOT), Father of Modern Nigeria and Leader of National Legislative Agenda, Ahmadu Ali has been reduced to nothing; dwarfed and reduced to a mere errant figurehead in the scheme of things within the party hierarchy now. Coming soon after his two expansive mansions in Abuja choice locations were ordered demolished by another Presidential errant boy – Nasir El Rufai, the erstwhile Obasanjo’s “Super Minister of Everything Difficult and Controversial.” Lest we forget, Ahmadu Ali also lost out to Obasanjo over his quest to make his wife a Senator. This is to avoid competing for attention with Obasanjo’s Senator-daughter – Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello!

 

 

 

The above stage is a perfect one for the Grand Fight between President UMYA and the Godfather, Obasanjo. Because from the looks of things, any attempt by President UMYA to deviate from the “righteous path” chosen by the Messiah Obasanjo for the PDP and by extension for Nigerians, will be decisively crushed by the monstrous Godfather. This he can always do with the help of his planted cronies in the ruling Party and the Nigerian establishment, from whom he draws his strength, power and authority. The nation awaits the D-Day. Time will tell.

 

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