Security agencies are weighing the options on whether or not to invite former President Olusegun Obasanjo for interrogation on his December 2 letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
They are wary of the political implications of subjecting a former President to grilling by security chiefs, who were mostly his juniors in the military.
They appear to be in favour of probing security issues raised by Obasanjo rather than going after the messenger.
The probe may also be for documentation purpose, in case of security breach in future traceable to the letter.
There were also indications that the agencies might collaborate with security organisations in Benin Republic to find out if there was any snipers’ training ground, in that country being run by Nigerians.
The dust over the exchange of letters between President Jonathan and ex-President Obasanjo has not been settled, leading to a split among Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governors.
The President has referred Obasanjo’s letter to security agencies, which, it was gathered, might opt for a mutual interaction with Obasanjo in camera rather than subject him to humiliation through summons.
It was also learnt that some of the affected agencies believe that clues in Obasanjo’s letter could be investigated without subjecting the ex-President to grilling rigours.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have got the President’s directive, which asked us to investigate some allegations in Obasanjo’s letter but we are weighing whether to invite the former leader or not.
“We want to handle the probe in such a way that our attention will be more on the issues raised rather than the writer. The allegations have to do with the security of the country than anything else.
“We do not want this investigation to heat up the polity and distract the nation from the truth or otherwise in the allegations.
“These agencies need to look into these allegations, even if for documentation purpose, in case of any security breach in future.”
Asked if the security agencies would not invite Obasanjo, the source added: “We can interact with him in camera or as may be convenient for him without causing more political upheaval.
“We may not be swayed by the tempo of the moment but we will do a thorough job in the interest of the nation.
“You will recall that when there were similar allegations against a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari after the 2011 poll, we were cautious in our approach.
“The investigation of allegation of subversion against a former military/ civilian leader is not what you dramatise.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “We might extend our probe to Benin Republic or any neighbouring country with evidence of training of Nigerian snipers to ‘deal’ with those on the supposed watch-list
Investigation showed that some of the PDP governors agreed with the contents of Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan, but those who support the President, however, thought otherwise.
It was gathered that the governors in support of Obasanjo’s letter felt they had been vindicated by some of the observations.
It was learnt that the affected governors claimed that some of the issues had caused the ongoing crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
A governor said: “Some of us in the PDP believe that the issues raised by Obasanjo were really not new except that of snipers. The truth is that we had discussed some of these allegations in the closet with the President during our meetings.
“While some of us believed that Jonathan might not have the capacity for training snipers, some said we should not ignore the allegation because of the desperation of some politicians ahead of the 2015 polls.
“Maybe the training of snipers is a plot already aborted by Obasanjo’s alarm. We are all looking forward to security agencies to assist the nation with their findings.
“We are no doubt divided because some governors believe in Obasanjo’s letter and we have been interacting on it.”
In its December 3 letter to the President, Obasanjo wrote:
“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 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.”
In his reponse on December 22, Dr. Jonathan wrote:
“The most invidious accusation in your letter is the allegation that I have placed over 1,000 Nigerians on a political watch list, and that I am training snipers and other militia to assassinate people. Baba, I don’t know where you got that from but you do me grave injustice in not only lending credence to such baseless rumours, but also publicising it. You mentioned God 17 times in your letter. Can you as a Christian hold the Bible and say that you truly believe this allegation?
“The allegation of training snipers to assassinate political opponents is particularly incomprehensible to me.
“Regarding the over 1,000 people you say are on a political watch list, I urge you to kindly tell Nigerians who they are and what agencies of government are “watching” them. Your allegation that I am using security operatives to harass people is also baseless. Nigerians are waiting for your evidence of proof. That was an accusation made against previous administrations, including yours, but it is certainly not my style and will never be. Again, if you insist on the spurious claim that some of your relatives and friends are being harassed, I urge you to name them and tell Nigerians what agencies of my administration are harassing them.”
Source-THE NATION
Tag Archives: Obasanjo
Obasanjo’s 2005 national conference anti-people – Gbonigi, Clark
Anglican Bishop Emeritus, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi; and a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, on Tuesday described the 2005 national conference organised by the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as anti-people.
The two men spoke in Abuja during the meeting of the leaders from South-West, South-East and South-South geo political zones.
Leaders from the three zones met under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, whose agenda was to discuss the modalities, time frame, funding and structures for the proposed national conference.
Gbonigi said that the 2005 national conference was not people’s conference as it did not discuss the peculiar needs and desires of various ethnic nationalities that made up Nigeria.
He said Nigerians would this time around have what he described as a “people’s conference” that would come up with “peoples decision.”
He said, “We are going to have a people’s conference that will come up with the people’s decision. We are going to have a conference that knows and understands one another. This conference will respect the peoples’ culture.”
Clark also said, “The 2005 national conference was not based on the Will and representations of the people of Nigeria. Former President Obasanjo and the governors handpicked the delegates. The 2005 national conference was not the desire of the people of Nigeria.
“Under the planned national conference, there would be no second class citizen. This conference would be conducted based on the equality of all Nigerians.”
Among those at the meeting were a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; a former Minister of Aviation, Graham Douglas; and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Sen. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele.
PDP crisis: G-7 governors visit Obasanjo, Danjuma
Five of the seven Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governors fighting for change in the party met yesterday with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his Abeokuta, Ogun State capital home.
The five Governors – Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State), Babangida Aliyu(Niger), Murtala Nyako(Adamawa), Sule Lamido(Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso(Kano), arrived at Obasanjo’s residence around noon. They discussed with the former PDP Board of Trustees chairman for about two hours.
Two other governors who were expected at the meeting did not turn up.
It was not clear what they discussed. When the governors emerged from the mansion at 1:50pm, reporters pushed towards Amaechi for an insight into their mission, but he declined, saying his Niger State counterpart should talk for the group.
Amaechi, who drove himself in a black Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with Lamido sitting on the passenger’s seat, said the others would stand beside Babangida while speaking to the press.
According to Aliyu, they were in Obasanjo’s home in continuation of their earlier consultations with PDP elders over matters affecting the party.
Aliyu, who hinted that the G7-Governors had been “discussing with the President”(Dr Goodluck Jonathan), said the new move was to ascertain if there had been any change in the party.
Aliyu said: “You may recall that when (the) issues started, we consulted our elders. So, this is part of the consultation; more so that we are coming to the resolution of the matters. We believe that very soon, we’ve been discussing with the President, discussing about these matters.
“We believe after the lull of the pilgrimages, we are all back; so, we need to consult again to find out if there is any variable that has intervened and we are very happy things are going normal.”
Told that people were speculating that the G7-Governors came to say goodbye to the ex-president, he said: “I don’t know about that. It’s just speculation.”
The governors also met with former Head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan and former Minister for Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma in Lagos.
They met the duo yesterday at their houses in Ikoyi and on Victoria Island to “consult with them on the lingering crisis in the party”.
Shonekan urged politicians to eschew bitternes as a way to pull the nation out of the wood.
The governors arrived at Shonekan’s house at about 3:40 pm in a BMW Sports Utility Vehicle.
Amaechi drove the car. Other governors sat inside. Security aides followed in other cars.
The meeting with Shonekan lasted for about an hour after which Amaechi said: “We are consulting with the elders across the country on the issues that affect the party and the nation in general. We are talking about the ills in the country.”
The governor said his planned meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), initially scheduled for yesterday would hold today.
Shonekan told the governors: “God has given us all the things needed for growth and progress. We must try as much as possible to cooperate with one another, to make sure that the country becomes the envy of all.”
He said he offer himself to assist in reconciling the warring politicians.
The governors met with Gen. Danjuma on Victoria Island for one hour as well.
Day I blasted Obasanjo to his face –Atiku
Former Vice-President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has revealed that he “blasted” his then boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over his bid to run for a second term.
Abubakar made the disclosure during an interview with a newspaper published in Hausa.
In the interview published by an online publication on Friday, Abubakar also disclosed that he and Obasanjo argued over his failed third term bid. Atiku said during one of their arguments, Obasanjo gave him a Quran to swear loyalty to him.
He said, “At first we started arguing, and then he (Obasanjo) opened his drawer and brought out a copy of the Quran and asked me to swear that I will not be disloyal to him. There was nothing I did not tell him in that room. The first thing I told him was that I swore with the Quran to defend the Constitution of Nigeria. Why are you now giving me the Quran to swear for you again? What if I swear for you and you go against the constitution?
“Secondly, I looked at him and told him that if I don’t like you or don’t support you, would I have called 19 northern governors to meet for three days in my House in Kaduna only for us to turn our back on you?
“Thirdly, I asked him, what are you even doing with the Quran? Are you a Muslim that you would even administer an oath on me with the Quran? I was angry, and I really blasted him. He asked me to forgive him and he returned the Quran back to the drawer, and we came out.”
Obasanjo’s third term bid failed following public outcry over what many saw as unconstitutional.
Speaking further about the controversial bid, which could have taken Obasanjo to a record 12 years as the country’s president, Atiku said he vehemently told Obasanjo to leave after the completion of his second term in office.
He said, “In fact we had the same kind of altercation when he was gunning for third term, he informed me that “ I left power twenty years ago, I left Mubarak in office, I left Mugabe in office, I left Eyadema in office, I left Umar Bongo, and even Paul Biya and I came back and they are still in power; and I just did eight years and you are asking me to go; why?” And I responded to him by telling him that Nigeria is not Libya, not Egypt, not Cameroun, and not Togo; I said you must leave; even if it means both of us lose out, but you cannot stay.”
Obasanjo and Atiku fell out at some point during their administration, with reports that the two did not see eye to eye.
There were also unconfirmed reports that the two of them fell out because Obasanjo went back on his promise to use one term in office and support Atiku’s candidacy for the presidency after his four years. Some reports claimed that Obasanjo had to go on his knees to seek Atiku’s support for his second term.
Atiku denied that his former boss went on his knees to plead for his support. He, however, said that Obasanjo visited his residence to plead for his support.
He said, “Honestly, he did not kneel down for me. But he did come to my house and I refused to see him. And he knocked my door continuously and asked me in the name of God to come out, so I came out, and we went downstairs, and he asked me to join him in his car and I said, no, because of security reasons, but he insisted. So when we entered his car, I never knew that he had gone round states pavilions and asking for the support of governors and delegates and they refused to listen to him because they have not seen us together. So that was why he came and picked me up so that we would go round together. There is something that many people did not know before, which I will tell you now.
“We sat with party elders and discussed the issue of Presidency and there was debate as to whether the South will have eight or four years? If the South had eight years, so the north too should have eight years subsequently. After lots of debates, it was finally agreed that the South should have eight years. And when power returns to the north, they should also have it for eight years.
“However, governors objected to this arrangement. I was then in a dilemma; is the governors’ objection genuine or just a political gimmick. What if I followed them to run against the president and they later on turn their back on me and align with the president? At the end of the day, one would neither be a vice president or a president because politics is a slippery game.”
Concerning his role in the recent breakup of the Peoples Democratic Party, where Abubakar led a number of PDP governors out of the party’s convention, Abubakar said they had spent four months plotting the move.
He said, “We have been planning for some time because we have spent almost four months planning how to split the PDP.
“At first I didn’t know the arrowhead, but they eventually came and met me and I joined them because their reasons are the same with the ones I have been fighting against within the party; lack of fairness, honesty and tyranny. If I can fight the military to restore democracy, why can’t I fight fellow politicians?”
Abubakar added that the breakaway faction of the party had appealed a court judgment declaring its association illegal.
“We have appealed; and we are planning seriously, you will see what will happen,” he said.
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