CSOs alert US, EU to plans by Obasanjo to truncate Nigeria’s democracy
…Wants a travel ban imposed on him
The Joint Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (JACCSON) has alerted the international community to plans by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to truncate Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
In a letter signed by its National Convener, Musa Omede to the US, Britain and EU obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the group said it has uncovered plans by the former president to cause mayhem of monumental proportion in the country as a means of disrupting the outcome of the general elections.
The group revealed that General Obasanjo has recruited the services of mercenaries from some francophone countries to carry out the destabilization plot across Nigeria before, during and after the elections.
“It is instructive to state that this unholy plot to disrupt our nascent democracy by General Olusegun Obasanjo according to reasonable intelligence is as a result of the likely outcome of the elections that would likely not be in favour of his preferred candidate and his former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”
Recent revelations by the security agencies in Nigeria have given credence to the statement of the Minister of Information Lai Mohammed in a press release where he stated that the Federal Government was in possession of credible intelligence to the effect that widespread violence being orchestrated by the opposition is threatening the 2019 general elections.
Mr Mohammed had stated in the release that it has credible intelligence that armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been mobilized to engage in massive attacks, and other acts of violence in several states across the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
General Obasanjo in recent time has carried out an unbridled attack on the person of President Muhammadu Buhari on the pages of newspapers in the form of an Open Letter and through other sponsored opinions and editorials.
Dr Omede said the strategy according to credible intelligence is to set the ball rolling for the widespread violence that has been planned.
“The plan is that after the Open Letter attack on the pages of the newspapers, bombs would begin to detonate in public places such as motor parks, markets and places of worship.
“Also, the activities of kidnappers would escalate beyond human comprehension across the country, as well as the activities of Armed bandits mainly in the North Western part of Nigeria and other places where President Muhammadu Buhari has large followership”, he added.
He called on the International Community to be informed that General Obasanjo and a group of people of his likes have perfected this evil plot as a prelude to taking the country back to the doldrums as in times past, where there was so much impunity and disregards for human rights.
“We also have credible information that suggests that a part of the plot is for the actualization of an interim government to be headed by a stooge and a trusted ally if the plot to destabilize the country comes to fruition.
“This is indeed worrisome, and a significant threat to our nascent democracy if urgent and proactive steps are not taken. And one of such measures was the red alert issued by the Honourable Minister of Information on Monday, 21 January 2019 at a World Press Conference.
“This obvious threat has indeed necessitated this SAVE OUR COUNTRY letter to the United States of America, Britain and the European Union to come to the aid of Nigeria in protecting our nascent democracy.
“Consequently, as part of other measures in place to thwart this evil plot we are by this letter requesting for a travel ban to be imposed on General Olusegun Obasanjo so that he does not flee the country after setting it ablaze according to his plans.” Omede said.
He called on the governments of the United States of America, Britain and the European Union to activate measures that see that in the event of General Obasanjo escapes from Nigeria after carrying out his evil plot requesting that he should be arrested and made to face charges on crimes against humanity.
“We strongly plead that a travel ban is imposed forthwith on General Olusegun Obasanjo and his associates with whom they have planned to make Nigeria go up in flames.
We wish to by this means to express our confidence in the governments of the United States of America, Britain and the European Union to come to the aid of Nigeria and Nigerians at the critical state of our existence”, he concluded.
Buhari goes to South East, to inaugurate Zik Mausoleum
President Muhammadu Buhari would inaugurate the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha, Anambara state on Thursday as part of his activities to flag off his campaign in the south east.
The Buhari’s administration completed the Zik Mausoleum in October 2018 after successive governments abandoned the project for over 20 years.
President Buhari and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have left Abuja for Anambra and Enugu states in continuation of the nationwide re-election campaign.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president would pay a courtesy visit to the Obi of Onitsha.
NAN reports that the president and members of the campaign team would later move to Enugu to launch the re-election bid and also deliver the `Next Level’ messages to the people of Enugu state.
While in Enugu, Buhari is expected to inaugurate the Post-Graduate Centre of Excellence built by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and donated to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The APC campaign train had on Wednesday visited Sokoto and Kebbi states where Buhari pledged to consolidate on the achievements of his administration in the areas of security, economy and fighting corruption.
Herdsmen/farmers clashes: How Nigerian military decisively tackled crises – Former Senate President tells British Parliament
The President of the Senate in the Third Republic, Senator Ameh Ebute, has revealed how the Nigerian military has been able to tackle the lingering crisis between herders and farmers in the country.
Ebute specifically noted that military has been able to curtail the nagging crises between the two groups.
Speaking at a Roundtable with MPs of the British Parliament, January 23, 2019 at the House of Commons, London, United kingdom, the former lawmaker faulted former Chief of Army Staff, TY Danjuma over his recent submission that soldiers where partial in their fight against terrorism.
Ebute said Danjuma was wrong because any Nigerian soldier that engages in acts of brigandage or molestation of civilians is now promptly disciplined accordingly under the current administration.
Senator Ameh Ebute delivered a position paper titled “Tackling the Violence between Livestock Farmers and Cultivators in Nigeria” before an audience that consisted of Chairmen and Members of committees of the British Parliament on Human Rights, Defense, Environment, as well as African Ministers, and a cross section of delegation from Nigeria.
He posited that “violent clashes between two sets of farmers in Nigeria, cultivators, and livestock farmers have been a major feature of the Nigerian security landscape since 2003. These clashes escalated in late 2017 with the massacre of over a hundred people at Agatu in Benue State. 2018 witnessed a further deterioration in the violence.”
“While a responsible government has a solemn obligation to ensuring the safety of its citizens and implementing policies and programs that engender peaceful co-existence among its ethnic, regional and religious diversities of its population, it must ensure too that crisis between any two groups of its population is not exploited for the selfish and nefarious purposes of its detractors.”
Senator Ebute further argued that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was able to make substantial gains in the fight against terrorism. “Boko Haram was routed from its Sambisa Forest stronghold. The Nigerian military recaptured Mubi, Gwoza, Baga and other major cities and villages that had been overrun by Boko Haram. Coordinated attacks by the air force and the army seriously degraded the fighting capabilities of Boko Haram.”
“Recognizing the regional dimensions in Boko Haram activities, the Buhari administration initiated a multilateral approach to fighting against Boko Haram by entering into a regional alliance with the neighboring states of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Republic of Benin. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who had fled to those neighboring countries in the wake of Boko Haram seizure of their towns and villages returned to Nigeria.”
Some of the most prominent military deployments included Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Sharan Daji, Operation Awatse, Operation Shirin Harbi, Harbin Kunama I, Harbin Kunama II, Operation Crocodile Smile I, Operation Python Dance I, Operation Dokaji, Operation Egwu Eke (aka Python Dance II, Operation Harbin Kunama II, Operation Whirl Stroke. These operations are against terrorism, cattle rustling, kidnappings and robberies, banditry, and sabotage of oil facilities, theft of oil, and perpetrators of livestock/cultivators violence.
“In addition to military operations designed to end terrorism and curtail other forms of violence, the Buhari administration has promptly deployed the police to areas of violence to curtail the violence and arrest the perpetrators.”
On the various allegations of the complicity of President Muhammadu Buhari in fueling the farmers/herders conflict, Senator Ebute posited that there is no shortage of conspiracy theories to explain the violence between livestock farmers and cultivators in Nigeria and they range from mildly misinformed attempts to explain a complicated social situation to outright falsehoods.
“The most often encountered of these theories blame President Buhari directly alleging that his ethnic affinity with the Fulani livestock farmers either encourages the violence or makes Buhari turn a blind eye to the violence.” He further argued that “conspiracy theories on violence in Nigeria are given credence when otherwise respectable public figures use them as an explanatory framework for what is going on.”
He gave the example of retired Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff, as one of the purveyors of falsehood on the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in tackling the farmers/herders conflict in the country.
“Danjuma had asserted quite incorrectly that the violence in Benue and Taraba states between cultivators and livestock farmers was a result of cooperation between members of the Nigerian armed forces and renegade Fulani groups. This is certainly true. It is probable that the type of cooperation that Gen. Danjuma had described might have taken place when he was a minister of defense and the general impression that members of his group, the Jukun, rented soldiers in their violent struggle with their neighbors, the Kutebs.”
“It was also during Danjuma’s tenure as minister of defense that soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians at ODI in Rivers State and Zaki-Biam in Benue State killing many people and burning down the entire villages. That type of behavior can longer be authorized nor tolerated. Any Nigerian soldier that engages in acts of brigandage or molestation of civilians is now promptly disciplined accordingly under the current administration.”
Senator Ebute consequently eulogized the international community for the assistance it has rendered to the government of Nigeria in tackling its security challenges. “the government and people of Nigeria appreciate the help it has received from the international community, but the international community can do more to help Nigeria tackle its security challenges.”
“The Nigerian armed forces need arms, ammunition, actionable intelligence to deal with Boko Haram and other security issues. Nigeria is trying to revamp its small defense industry and cannot yet manufacture all the military equipment it needs. It is important for Britain and other international partners to supply needed weapons and materials to Nigeria. Nigeria is not calling for foreign troops on its soil. Nigerians will do the fighting themselves. Terrorism is a global problem and must be tackled globally”.
Abuja Chamber, Hungary to establish agric demonstration farm
By Lubem Gena, Abuja
Discussions have opened between the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Embassy of Hangary to establish a one hectare demonstration farm in Abuja, the Nigerian capital city.
This indication emerged during a partnership meeting held between the President of the chamber, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode and the Economic Counsellor of the Embassy, Judit Beres during which they both agreed to also closely in other areas to consolidate on the gains of economic ties.
Prince Kayode while responding to the request said one of the major objectives of the chamber is to facilitate economic, trading activities, aid and promote the activities of investors and also generate employment as well as harness local resources for the benefit of all.
“We want to partner with you in developing our agricultural sector because of the immense benefit that both countries will derive from it. We have the land and we will work with to ensure that the farm demonstration project is realised.
“Not only that, we are also interested in receiving investors from your country to set up factories here to manufacture goods, implements and machineries that we need to advance our agriculture. The potentials here are very huge and there is ready market for them.
“We have four centres in this Chamber namely: the Abuja Trade Centre (ATC); Business, Entrepreneurial Skills and Technology (BEST); Policy Advocacy Centre (PAC) and Dispute Resolution Centre (DRC). All of them are doing specialized functions that have taken economic activities to the next level.
“While ATC is involved in trade promotion, facilitation, organising expos, exhibitions, trade fairs, trade missions among other functions, BEST is effectively handling all training in areas like vocation, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), skill programmes and capacity building or strengthening, PAC has been taking reviewing most of the economic or trade policies with a view to supporting government to grow the economy, DRC handles disputes arising from commercial transactions.
“ We are open and will recommend businessmen that are into the sectors you will also request from us”, Prince Kayode emphasised.
In her speech, Judit stressed the need for the chamber to open several doors of opportunities in the sectors enumerated by the president and further reiterated the commitment of her embassy to fast track business connections between members of the chamber and Hungarian counterparts.
She commended the developmental strides in the chamber under the present administration and informed the president of some opportunities that members of the chamber can tap into especially in small machineries, ICT, education amongst others.
The president also presented the ACCI souvenirs to the economic counsellor.
In attendance was the Director General of the chamber, Chief Mrs Tonia Shoyele and its Legal Officer, Ms Chidimma Onyiaorah.
Corruption: We Welcome Ortom’s Decision To Waive His Immunity for Prosecution-JOCO
The Honourable Emmanuel Jime/Sam Ode gubernatorial campaign organisation for Benue state has welcomed the decision by the state Governor, Mr.Samuel Ortom to purge immunity and face prosecution if allegations of massive corruption are levelled against him.
It could be recalled that a statement was issued on behalf of Benue State Governor, by his Special Assistant on ICT and Communications, Mr. Tahav Agerzua to that effect.
The statement titled: “Smear Campaign Against Me Shows APC Has Lost Steam”, declares that the Governor is ready to waive his immunity under section 308 of the 1999 Constitution to stand trial over claims that he has plundered the treasury of the State to expand his chain of private businesses.
Mr. Tordue Salem, Deputy Director of Communication, the Jime/Ode Campaign Organisation, (JOCO) therefore applaud the governor for his exemplary decision to step aside and not sit as judge in his own case.
The rest of the statement reads:
The 1999 Constitution and the criminal code, put the law above all men. It is therefore, trite and indeed proper that a governor or any other public official for that matter, would come to equity with clean hands and excuse themselves from state functions, the moment weighty allegations of corruption are levelled against them.
For us, we have chosen to run a campaign of ideas and decency and would continue to push the message for positive change in the month of March.
We will not be distracted by the diversionary tactics of a government that is bereft of ideas and driven by chicanery, tantrums and blackmail.
The Jime/Ode governorship project has practical ideas on every sector and has alot to busy itself with. Smear tactics do not feature on our political menu. The good people of Benue, know who is the Chief propagandist and the top dispenser of redherrings; the Jime/Ode governorship campaign is not prepared to compete with anyone on that score.
The Government of Ortom, has revealed that he took loans to expand his businesses. It will be left for the courts to decide how constitutional or legal that is.
The Jime/Ode campaign is only interested in the Governor backing up with action, his declared readiness to leave office and face the law.
The Governor will be setting a new record by resigning to face the law and we encourage him to do so.
Inter-Faith Clerics launch 30-days Deliverance Prayers for Obasanjo
The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace has declared 30 days prayer and fasting for former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The group said Obasanjo’s problem is beyond ordinary, hence, the call for prayer.
The Inter-Faith group said the call for prayer became imperative following the outbursts of the former President on the state of the nation.
Bishop Musa Garuba, President of the group at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said a normal human being would not make such comments credited to Obasanjo.
Bishop Garuba said during the fasting period, Nigerians should pray for the troubled soul of Obasanjo and as well tell God to chase away the demons tormenting him.
Full text of his speech below.
We were prodded to identify this neglect a former president, Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, who wrote “Points for Concern and Action”. The content of the piece written by Dr. Obasanjo, were disturbing. The piece was disturbing because of what it connotes. On the surface it appeared like a recrimination of the present administration, but those led in the spirit see the content like the confession of someone that has committed too many spiritual atrocities while under the influence of some evil forces.
Unfortunately, maybe because of the unacceptable practice of trial by ordeal and lynching that is still practiced in some parts of the country, people have been attacking Dr. Obasanjo instead of listening to his cry for help. The old man is practically seeking absolution for the things went wrong during his tenure as president of Nigeria between May of 1999 and May 2007 and all many people are doing is to condemn him without offering a helping hand.
We understand that there are political, economic, medical, and security dimension to issues but the things happening to Dr. Obasanjo now are beyond the ordinary for these areas we have identified are mortal and ordinary. The problem with the former president is spiritual and it is becoming a thing of shame for citizens. It is a reproach that the former leader must be saved from because it affects the entire country.
We have not been able to get to the bottom of this his seeming confessions neither have we been able to have a private intervention session with him but with what we have seen of his public outing in recent time there is every indication that his earthly form has been hijacked by the occult.
The possession must date back to the occultism practices that was dominant during his administration. Other areas that have compromised him are the indiscriminate killings of innocent people during his tenure; the blood of the righteous is crying for justice and we do not know what voices Dr. Obasanjo hears. We understand that his family remains concerned that God cursed him as the only Nigerian leader to have ever slept with his son’s wife.
In recognition of the fact that there is nothing prayers cannot solve, the National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace is holding and appealing to Nigerians to join it for a 30-day prayer to seek God’s intervention for the deliverance of former President Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo from his demons. Those who feel inclined or led can add fasting as they intercede on behalf of the former leader.
As a guide, the 30-day prayers begins tonight and those willing to participate can do so from their homes. Those who are led to congregate in groups are welcome to do so. We have the following prayer points:
That God should forgive Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo of all his sins against himself, his family, his neighbours and associates, Nigeria and humanity.
That God should banish the demons that have taken over Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo’s body, reasoning faculty and personality.
That God should guide Dr Obasanjo not reject the timely help being offered him to reject his occult connections.
That God should bring peace to Dr. Obasanjo’s troubled soul.
That God should not judge Nigeria based on Chief Obasanjo’s sins.
That God should severe, terminate and expunge all occult covenants that Onbasanjo signed Nigeria into during his tenure.
That God should save Nigeria from Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo’s machinations while he remains under the influence of the occult.
As we pray these and other prayers, we acknowledge the central role of forgiveness. We therefore invite Nigerians, whom Obasanjo might have offended in and out of power, to please forgive him so that his life can get back on track and become free of the darkness that is tormenting him. We extend the same appeal to the relations of those that were killed under his watch to forgive him. They can stand in the place of their slain family members to forgive the former president.
We appeal to Nigerians that they should please treat this appeal as urgent because it is a matter of time before Dr. Obasanjo becomes like the Biblical character that will wish and beg for death, yet death will fail to come for him. At the end of his days he will be behaving abnormally being denied death while being tormented by a horrible.
Yoruba youths apologise to Nigerians over Obasanjo’s recent outbursts, caution ex-president
As reactions continue to trail the recent statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the state of the nation, the Council of Progressive Yoruba Youths has apologized to Nigerians.
The youth group said the latest missive in circulation entitled “Points For Concern And Action by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo” was off-point and should be discarded in its entirety.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday, the National President of the group, Kola Salawu, said Nigerians needed to forgive Obasanjo for the eight years he wasted as a civilian president and for the wrong path he set the nation on.
Salawu said the Yoruba race was deeply ashamed that a so called elder from its ethnic stock decided to remain in a muddy gutter by penning such nauseating content.
He lamented that Obasanjo sowed the seed for extremism that birthed terrorism. He backed this up by ensuring that the military was emasculated and unable to respond to the threat he has created.
The youth leader said, “In Yoruba land, we take pride in answering our names. Only a bastard will deny his name. In practical terms this translates into us standing by our decisions and actions, irrespective of what outcomes they produced. Where the outcomes are good our head swell with the accompanying accolades; where the results of our actions are undesirable, we accept responsibility with honour and explore how to make amends so that we remain an integral part of the society. Of course, in the ancient past, where the failing is too grievous and involves a king that remained recalcitrant the relevant powers will have to present hi, with an empty calabash.
“This is a level of honour Obasanjo has never possessed and is incapable of learning. Had he such honour he would have accepted that the current insecurity he ranted is the outcome of his misrule that is only now yielding fruits. The poverty that makes it possible for terrorists, militants and separatists to gain new recruits was first instituted under his watch as president. The extremism that the nation today grapple with first surfaced under him with some states declaring Sharia rule, which was the incentive that made terrorists started demanding nationwide strict implementation Sharia.
“In the entire eight years he held office, Obasanjo was in mortal fear of being overthrown because of the unpopularity of his government. His solution to this was to destroy the military in the belief that there would be no way to plot a coup against him if there is no virile military. In addition to embarking on massive sacks and purge that deprived the military establishment of crucial institutional memory, he also ensured that the military inventory was depleted without replenishment or procurement to make sure that the military was incapacitated.
“The destruction of the military armory at Ikeja Cantonment about this time of the year in 2002 has now been confirmed to be part of Obasanjo’s desperation to de-tooth the military. A military plane crash that killed a dozen generals under Obasanjo’s watch in 2006 is equally put down to part of his obsession to gelatinize the military. He seemed to have succeeded with it.
“The taint on the military from Obasanjo’s directives for troops to disregard rules of engagement in Odi and Zak-Ibiam remains an obstacle to the military. Even when their recent and ongoing operations meet the global standards for the rules of engagement, the stain from the Obasanjo years remains a perspective from which the military is perceived. This affects the ability of the military to procure arms when they need it and the same tyrant under whose watch this happened is today playing the saint.
“In essence, Obasanjo sowed the seed for extremism that birthed terrorism. He backed this up by ensuring that the military was emasculated and unable to respond to the threat he has created. What has saved Nigeria from Obasanjo’s evil intent was the timely turnaround being witnessed under President Buhari, who has high regards for institutional memory in the military.
“The whole of Nigeria became his enemy and he has never lost on any perceived opportunity to exact vengeance on all citizens. May we refresh our memory that Obasanjo reportedly trained 1000 killer snipers abroad with the intention of using them to assassinate those who stand in the way of his ambition. These snipers formed part of the pioneer team of killers that have remained loose in the country till date.
“The outcome of that election produced Mallam Umaru Yar’Adua as president and it was a matter of months before Obasanjo started wishing him dead because he turned out not to be the stooge that Obasanjo expected. Yar’Adua’s demise paved way for Goodluck Jonathan, whom Obasanjo did much to mislead and abandoned after he incurred the anger of Nigerians pleasing the former President. If Obasanjo thought he would have a pliant President Buhari following his opposition of Jonathan he was in for a rude shock.
“If Obasanjo supported Yar’Adua and later disowned him over ill health, supported Jonathan and later disowned him for consulting others and supported Buhari and now disowning him for not bending to his wishes, then maybe it is not these president that something is wrong with. The problem is Obasanjo. He feigns support for successive presidents in the hope of being able to use them as puppets and continue as a life president while they act as the symbolic leaders. Such deviousness is not the Yoruba way because it is without honour.
“We do not want to go into the past of an Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), whom Obasanjo convinced Nigerians to be a very corrupt person. The same person God will not forgive him for forgiving. He has turned around to tell Nigerians that this is the same person to vote in the hope of acquiring a new puppet. A Yoruba elder will not be caught doing such, it amounts to being incitement, which is unbecoming of anyone that has become a grandfather.
“We apologize for the eight wasted years of Obasanjo as a civilian president and for the wrong path he set the country on, which we are now all trying to correct. We apologize for his callous thinking that had projected that Buhari would die in office. We apologize for the unbecoming tantrum he has been throwing for not having his way as a puppet master of successive presidents. We apologize to you all Nigerians because what Obasanjo is does not reflect who the Yoruba are.”
Abubakar Tsav writes Obasanjo, says ex-President goofed on Buhari’s performance in security
Elder statesman and former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has faulted ex-President Olusegun over his Sunday’s comment on the security situation in the country.
Obasanjo had during a press conference on Sunday claimed the security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated under the Muhammdu Buhari-led government.
Reacting in a letter entitled “Your Open Epistles Have Outlived All Usefulness” Tsav said Obasanjo goofed on his submission.
The elder statesman said he was shocked that Obasanjo who laid the foundation for all problems bedeviling Nigeria is now criticising Buhari.
The letter reads.
Let me use this opportunity to wish you and your family a happy, blissful and prosperous New Year, as we pray for God’s guidance and wisdom in the leadership of Nigeria.
I have taken pains as an elder to peruse and deeply reflect on the contents of your recent epistle/address to Nigerians. I strongly feel like most other elders of our great nation that as a Senior Citizen, there is need to reply you by shedding light on some of your attempts to twist facts and the carefully rehearsed tales, least you mislead the younger generation.
First, I must say, I am not impressed with the tone, discourteous and indecorous language of your letter. Even if you are genuinely aggrieved or seek for a better Nigeria as you feign in this open letter, an elder statesman of your status should be more matured in conveying his anger.
Casting unproved aspersions on public institutions is in itself a weapon of anarchy for the youths who are reading/listening to you. We have a moral and religious duty to mentor our children in a manner that would enable them grow up as responsible citizens and leaders.
What better Nigeria do you seek when you fabricate lies and de-market other leaders from a partisan perspective; delivered in a very uncouth language to youths who would tomorrow assume leadership of this great nation?
Sir, your letter has touched on a number of national issues, which are basically centered on the next general elections, especially the Presidential ballot of February 16, 2019. I take serious exception to the falsehood and mendacities peddled by its contents and the unfounded phobia of your presumed rigging of the next general elections.
However, while these issues have been unconvincingly interrogated by you and at some instances, you dispensed yourself more as seeking for personal vengeance than fighting an altruistic national cause; I like to comment on the issue of security and Boko Haram insurgency to be specific.
Let me quickly remind you that whatever perceived loopholes in the administration of Nigeria today had the foundation solidly laid by your government for eight years. It does not make sense for a leader to create a problem and then query another leader for failing to solve it to his taste.
The political infractions as experienced in our democracy today, which you complain loudly were hatched and nurtured by you. The PDP government you headed raised an army of killers, by arming youths and brigands, who gleefully embarked on assassinations or elimination of political rivals.
This culture survived all the years PDP held power and President Muhammadu Buhari’s redemption government is cleaning up the rot or the mess accumulated for 16 years in the midst of distractive obstructions.
It’s unfortunate that indignation has blinded you from noticing the difference. But Nigerians who saw yesterday and are survivors today have seen the positive and remarkable difference, which your malicious letter fruitlessly seeks to diminish.
When I look at what Boko Haram became in Nigeria, the torments; the atrocities or heinous crimes it committed on Nigerians for more than a decade, I feel Nigerians deserve a public apology from you.
It is strange that while you have not convinced yourself to tender a public apology to Nigerians, it smacks of public mockery and assault on our collective sensibilities for you to castigate President Buhari by baselessly plotting to vacate the gains the country has achieved in battling insurgency under his administration.
If you have forgotten, let me remind you that Boko Haram started in 2002 as a small sect of political thugs imported into Nigeria/Borno state from Niger and Chad republics for the reelection project of the then Governor of Borno state.
The band of political thugs who morphed into Boko Haram and led by Mohammed Yusuf felt aggrieved that they were used and dumped after the governorship reelection victory in 2003. And with arms in their possession they initially started as armed robbers and were emboldened by the successes of their exploits and then metamorphosed into Boko Haram.
Sir, the government you led had the opportunity to crush this emergent and fanatical religious sect, but you ignored it. Under your watch, you allowed Boko Haram gain strength and gathered enough momentum to spread its atrocious tentacles in killings, bombings, abductions and destruction of public and private properties in Nigeria. There was no apparent reason to abdicate this sacred security responsibility to the nation. Have you ever reflected on this?
Had you discharged your sacrosanct constitutional obligation of securing lives and property of Nigerians, Boko Haram would have been extinguished at its embryonic stage; it would not have blossomed and President Buhari would not have met it as a major security threat to Nigeria by 2015.
A leader with such records on this scandalous security problem has no moral standing or locus standi to openly disparage the rewarding efforts in curbing Boko Haram under the Buhari Presidency. If it is not malicious persecution, I remember that in your open epistle to President Buhari last year, you commended the President for his efforts in fighting corruption and Boko Haram in the country.
Why the sudden reversal? Could it be genuine confusion or malice or hatred wrapped as national activism or patriotism? To describe insecurity situation in Nigeria today by you, especially Boko Haram as deteriorating is absurd and most uncharitable.
I want to believe your memory has failed you on the precarious security situation and progression of Boko Haram in Nigeria, especially in the Northeast before the Buhari Presidency.
Permit me to refresh your memory. When President Buhari took over the reins of power in May 2015, Boko Haram insurgency had engulfed almost the entire Northern part of Nigeria. The Northeast was under the raging fires of insurgency, with Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states most affected. It reigned supreme and started inroads into Southern Nigeria. But Buhari has halted it.
Also, please recall that insurgents had forcefully annexed and occupied 20 local government areas in Borno state alone, in which they deposed Emirs and foisted the flags of their “Islamic Caliphate,” as insignia of their administrative control unchallenged. Terrorists also had partial control of seven other LGAs in Yobe and Adamawa states. President Buhari has reclaimed all the captured territories of Nigeria.
Insurgents frequent attacks and raids of security formations, villages or communities caused desertion of ancestral abodes by natives, leading to gruesome killings, abductions, destructions and displacement of people. IDPs camps in the Northeast were filled to the brim with displaced persons. With President Buhari’s decimation and defeat of Boko Haram, the situation today is not as grim as it was yesterday.
Most IDPs have gone back to their villages, the devastated Northeast is being rebuilt; over 16, 000 Nigerians held hostage by terrorists have been rescued by the Nigerian Army. And life has gradually returned to abandoned enclaves. No leader honest with himself would claim the security situation on Boko Haram in this region is deteriorating.
I agree with you that the Islamic State’s West African Province (ISWAP) has teamed up with Boko Haram. It is the reason for the resurgence of terrorism in the region in the last two months. But to rubbish every other efforts in this regard or refuse to see the change is unpatriotic and self-serving.
And to falsely claim the Nigerian government is empowering insurgents by payment of ransoms is equal to countering yourself, hence you had admitted this same address that ISWAP pairing with insurgents is responsible for the current upsurge, which is being handled.
I am baffled that as a retired Army General and former Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces you feel satisfied to say the Buhari government has reached the “end of its wit even in handling all security issues , but particularly Boko Haram issue.” But three successive Presidents of Nigeria including you combined could not post the results the Buhari Presidency has displayed on the winning streaks against insurgency.
We all seek to have a peaceful, secured and progressive nation. But to deliberately undermine or rundown an incumbent leader because of our personal grudges is unrealistic, selfish and callous.
I strongly feel President Buhari deserves encouragement to break new grounds on the resurged Boko Haram insurgents and not vilification. In same manner, the COAS, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai and the troops in the trenches deserve kind words of endearments’ from leaders like you for the great sacrifices they are making on our behest.
To understand that this poor outing is emanating from an elder statesman of your caliber is not good account of yourself and Nigeria, a country you once led. You cannot be wrong and right at the same time.
It is better to reassess your public outings, especially on the excitement of -writing open letters because I sense these epistles in which you end up countering yourself most times have outlived their usefulness’.
2019, Buhari And Sustaining Good Governance
By Okanga Agila
Its partisan times, so differing views have invaded the political space on the persona and leadership content in President Muhammadu Buhari. He is both loved and hated. But it’s normal in life, especially for leaders who must step on toes or bruise many to find the illuminating trajectory of leadership.
President Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria’s latest subject of praises and vituperations. First, everyone must understand that Buhari is the incumbent President of Nigeria, who is seeking reelection in the February 16, 2019 presidential ballot. But inevitably and consonance with democratic ethos, some political power mongers are seeking to unseat him. They have assembled in their numbers on different political platforms.
To this category of opposing politicians and Nigeria’s potential leaders, President Buhari has performed so poorly in the last three years. They chant everywhere that he deserves to be ousted; but hardly justify their stand with incontrovertible facts. What is palpable in their eyes is the naked scramble for power. So, “Buhari must go!” is what electrifies every campaign fora of the opposition gangsters.
The opposition ought to be genuinely piqued with Buhari for several reasons. The CBN ATMs, the unfettered access to the official exchange rates of foreign currencies; the blockage of fake oil subsidy claims, terminating the regime of inflated and abandoned contracts, and the arms procurement deals which stashed diverted dollars into several accounts have been blocked by Buhari.
So, there are veiled and subterranean plots to ensure President Buhari does not stage a comeback in the next presidential polls. Some former Nigerian leaders, with the exception of a few like Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) are neck-deep into this evil design. They have some handful minions, most of whom are in subordinate leadership positions who are prosecuting the agenda of President Buhari’s ouster very satanically.
The opponents, especially in the main opposition PDP have forgotten that in 16 years of acclaimed “perfect” leadership of Nigeria, they neither delivered on good governance nor leadership. They dislocated Nigeria in all sectors.
But it was under their watch Nigeria’s foreign reserves were depleted and shared on the table mutilated parts of a hunter’s game. It was under their watch local contractors and oil subsidy claimants were owned awful trillions of naira for questionable debts.
It was under their cursed regimes, 27 out of 36 states in the federation, including the central government could not pay salaries and allowances to public servants. The defunct PDP government personified poverty and misery.
It was under their leadership insecurity in Nigeria peaked. Boko Haram terrorists captured and conveniently occupied 20 LGAs in Borno state alone and another four LGAs in Adamawa and Yobe states. Nigerians witnessed Boko Haram detonating their bombs everywhere in Abuja and other major cities in the North. The government of the day condoned it as signs of the times.
Nigerians tolerated for years, and inexcusably, how the so-called ideal leadership supervised Plateau, the home of peace and tourism turned the epicenter or turf of testing ethnic supremacy by clannish warlords. Farmers and herders clashes reigned in most rural communities of Northern Nigeria unrestricted and blossomed every day, starching its tentacles to virgin territories.
Armed bandits and rustlers roamed freely with the gait of conquerors in Northwest Nigeria. Militancy in the Niger Delta region was job for both the young and the old. And its intensification blighted Nigeria’s economic fortunes.
Nigerians, except these odious leaders, barricaded by fenced walls and sentries knew everything was wrong with Nigeria. The masses realized only a puritan of angelic endowments like President Buhari was competent to re-fix Nigeria. He was fervently persuaded to redeem Nigeria from the manacles of leadership slavery.
Thus, Buhari landed like the eagle in 2015 in the poll of these sickening national malaises. President Buhari mounted the stage with messages in three main critical sectors to kick-start the recovery or redemption campaigns for Nigeria. Security was topmost on his agenda; the economy and anti-corruption wars were aspects of Nigeria as a country he vowed to vigorously pursue in his first years in office.
Looking back at yesterday and today, one observes a positive and significant difference in these critical sectors in the nation. President Buhari has been able to recover a nation pushed into recession back on its feet. It happened when national oil revenues’ declined considerably; but he combined wisdom and prudence to effectively apply the meagre national resources to achieve results.
Aside initiating capital projects, he has been able to complete abandoned capital projects in infrastructure, power generation, health, public transport, education, oil and gas, agriculture and so forth to lay the base for industrial development.
Buhari has been able to impressively shore-up Nigeria’s foreign reserves which declined to as low as $29.6 billion in May 2015 to $47.5 billion by May 2018. This is alongside checkmating inflationary trends in the economy, which have also witnessed a progressive decline since January, 2017.
Similarly, the Sovereign Wealth Fund portfolio has appreciated with the injection of $650 million so as to strengthen local investments in various sectors of the economy. It has also yielded positive results.
President Buhari’s anti- corruption crusade anchored by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have recovered looted commonwealth amounting to billions of naira, alongside forfeiture of assets acquired with illicit wealth worth trillions of naira. EFCC has netted the highest record of recoveries of loots since the establishment of the anti-graft agency nearly two decades ago.
But Buhari’s brightest star shines in the area of the hitherto suffocating national insecurity. It is repetitious to assert that President Buhari has splendidly curbed raging terrorism and insurrections which nearly crumbled Nigeria.
Under the Buhari Presidency, the Nigerian military have been able to properly dissect the numerous security challenges confronting the country. It has adopted both combat and psychological strategies to conveniently counter the menace of insecurity threats that held Nigeria to the jugular.
A transparent, accountable and disciplined leadership of the Nigerian Army led by the COAS, Lt.Gen. TY Buratai has secured for Nigeria victory over Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen /farmers crises, violent militancy, dubious secession movements and the repulsive armed banditry and cattle rustling criminalities in the country.
Truly, many people are excited at the prospects of leadership; but not everybody is endowed with leadership wisdom to lead a country as complex as Nigeria, with its multifaceted challenges. Most leaders of Nigeria have failed because they mixed greed and personal enrichment at the expense of the people. President Buhari is outstanding in this regard, which makes him an incontestable Prince of the Savannah.
Nigeria cannot afford to mortgage President Buhari’s leadership at this moment. There is every need to support him to succeed and continue in office beyond 2019 to concretize these gains. As far as Nigerians committed to the recovery of this country from the hands of the leadership vultures, Buhari remains the unbeatable choice and hope for a secured and prosperous nation.
Only President Buhari who has the moral rectitude and commitment can sustain the gains that have been recorded in some of the nation’s critical sectors and most profoundly on security.
Okanga wrote this piece from Agila, Benue State.