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Tag: Obasanjo

  • Senate to Obasanjo: Corruption allegation against NASS spurious

    Senate to Obasanjo: Corruption allegation against NASS spurious

    The Senate on Thursday described allegation of corruption levelled against the National Assembly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as unfortunate and a deliberate attempt to denigrate the institution.

    The Senate in a statement issued by its spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said it was unfortunate that the former President would distort the issue of constituency projects as meaning a direct monetary advance to lawmakers and thus amounting to the “promotion of corruption” by the National Assembly.

    Abaribe said the most unfortunate thing in the deliberate diatribe against the National Assembly, was ex-President Obasanjo’s allegation that the lawmakers are “siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects.’”

    The allegation, according to Abaribe was spurious as it were because it is very distant from the truth and is nowhere near reality.

    He added that if it were so, the former President would not have tolerated such for the period he was the President of the country.

    Abaribe said: “Ex- President Obasanjo for the avoidance of doubt, was the initiator of the constituency project in the year 2000 as a means of ensuring that projects were fairly spread across the country using the Senatorial zones as the spring board.

    “To ensure execution of the projects, Obasanjo again factored the constituency projects into the annual budgets to be implemented by the executive depending on availability of funds.

    That is to say that no lawmaker ever comes close to the funds or even determine the contractor for the said projects or when the said contract would be awarded.

    “So, it looks curious and surprising that former President Obasanjo would turn around after over 10 years of initiating such a project to allege that the National Assembly is performing the function of both the executive and the parliament.

    “Is it not preposterous for anybody to believe that members of the National Assembly would against the provisions of the Constitution with regards to application of separation of powers, award contracts ‘to their agents to execute’ and expect the Presidency under a President Obasanjo or any other President for that matter to pay for what they are not part of?

    “Such allegation stands logic on its head, as it amounts to an indictment of the Presidency for wilfully contravening the budget laws by ceding its power to execute to the National Assembly, if it was the case.”

    The Senate, according to the statement, challenged the former President to go a step further to furnish Nigerians with details of how the National Assembly members became executors of national budget rather than being law makers.

    Abaribe said: “It will also help to clear the allegation once and for all, if any Presidency official not only from the time past but currently, could come forward and explain the true position of the so called constituency projects.

    “Doing so would at least set the records straight.”

    Accordingly, the Senate warned political leaders to be wary of the consequences to the nation’s democracy of dragging the revered institution of lawmaking to public odium just to score some political points.

  • Soyinka, Obasanjo to lead writers to Ake Festival

    Soyinka, Obasanjo to lead writers to Ake Festival

    Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and former President Olusegun Obasanjo will lead senior citizens and literary giants to discussion sessions at this year’s Ake Arts and Book Festival.

    It will hold at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto- Abeokuta, from November18 to 22.

    In a programme, titled: “Muse as Memory”, Prof. Soyinka will sit in conversation with Jerome Okolo while Patrick Okigbo will host Obasanjo in a chat, titled: “Defining a Legacy”.

    The festival’s theme: “Bridges and Pathways” and discussions will focus on building bridges between the African people along language, ethnicity, gender and religious lines, and charting new paths towards creative synergy and cultural cross-fertilisation on the African continent.

    According to the organisers, there would be nine book chats at the festival, which will featuring Yelide Kilanko on her book, “Daughters who walk this path”; Bernadine Everisto on “Mr. Loverman”; Barnaby Phillips on “Another Mans War”; Okey Ndibe on his “Foreign Gods Inc”; and Chude Jideonwo on “Are We The Turning Point Generation?”

    Also, Nnedi Okorafor will be discussing her new book, “The Lagoon”, while Fred D’ Aguiar’s will be discussing “London Cape Town Joburg” and Nike Campell Fatoki will speak on her bestselling book, “Thread of Gold Beads”.

    Tayo Aluko’s critically-acclaimed musical play, “Call Mr. Benson”, will enjoy its Ogun State premier at the festival.

    There will also be a contemporary dance performance by Qudus Onikeku title, My Exile is my Head.

    The Ake Art and Book Festival (AABF), in partnership with Ogun State government, Etisalat, Access Bank and Annoying Logo will host international authors from all over the world and will showcase the very best of contemporary African literature, music, art, film and theatre.

  • ‘Obasanjo still a factor in PDP’

    ‘Obasanjo still a factor in PDP’

    Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Joju Fadairo, in this interview with JEREMAIH OKE, speaks on President Jonathan’s re-election bid, the Ogun PDP crisis and other issues.

    Do you think the performance of President Jonathan is enough for him to contest next year?

    Although Jonathan has not declared his intention to contest in 2015, but nothing stops him from contesting. He has done well in the area of constructions and transportation. One of the necessities of life is shelter and that is why he is doing housing projects across the country. In terms of infrastructure and employment which I believe he needs to do more, I think he will be justified in the forthcoming elections. Also, the way he has put women in his cabinet is unprecedented, nobody has even done that in Nigeria history.

    You said he needs to do more on youth empowerment and unemployment?

    Yes. Few days ago, Jonathan was addressing youths on the way and strategies he has put in place to make them happy, which I believe he will soon carry out. I know he has put in place some agencies that will empower the youth so as not to engage themselves in violence or hooliganism. But let me tell you, the youths who are not myopia to see what he has done will vote for him and return him as the next president.

    Why are you insisting that he must return, even without visible achievement?

    I have enumerated some of his achievements and you are asking me if I really want him to return in 2015. You are wicked for saying he has not done anything. He is in my party and I want him back because he has performed well.

    Northern elders have given the president Jonathan ultimatum to return the Chibok girls or he should forget about the 2015 election…

    The Northern elders are not God. If I say Jonathan will be there and God says no, there is nothing I can do because the will of God must prevail. Let me tell you, all these social vices we are experiencing in Nigeria are not peculiar with Nigeria. Jonathan cannot do more than what is doing because he has done many things to ensure that the menace of insecurity stops in the north but the northerners are not helping matters. If they insist, they will continue with their crisis in the North because there is no Igbo or Yoruba man that is among the people threatening the peace of their region. It is their people who are killing them to distract the government. I think the northerners should help Jonathan with this Boko Haram of a thing rather than adding more to the problem because they know who are behind it and they should proffer lasting solution to it. They should forget it, Jonathan is coming back in 2015.

    Do you think your party is on ground in the Southwest?

    We are solidly on ground in the Southwest. Things cannot be going on well all the time. Crisis is synonymous to human being especially in politics. Between husband and wife, father and children there is always crisis but conflict resolution approach must be adopted. There must be time that thing will be rough or they experience misunderstanding. There was a lot of misunderstanding in the party before, but in the last four months, I can tell you we have done a lot of reconciliations and we are back on ground. It is true that some desperate politicians left our party. But, that does not say we are not on ground.

    Some people are of the opinion that without former President Obasanjo the party can win elections. Don’t you think he is still relevant in the party?

    He is relevant. Anybody who says Obasanjo is no more relevant is entitled to his opinion but to me, he is very relevant and we need him the more. As a human being, you have right to you views and opinion. Obasanjo has never said he is no more in politics so I don’t know how people will say such thing when he is still a factor in the party. He is still in politics.

    He is in PDP. If he is not attending meetings and he is still in the party that does not mean that he is not relevant in the party. He was the former chairman of the party BoT, former president elected under the platform of the PDP and he had said it time without numbers that he is a member of the party. If anybody now says without Obasanjo we can’t win election, I will never be part of that. He has his own role to play, which I am convinced that he will play and he will continue to play.

  • OBJ visits IBB, hugs Atiku at airport

    OBJ visits IBB, hugs Atiku at airport

    Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday visited former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, who just returned from a two month medical treatment in Germany.

    Obasanjo also met with his estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, at the Minna International Airport where the two leaders buried their differences and hugged each other.

    The Nation gathered that Obasanjo was in Minna to visit the recuperating Babangida, while Atiku who had visited the former military president was in the town to attend the presidential declaration of Sam Nda-Isaiah of All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Obasanjo, who arrived in a plane with registration number – GDOUR along with Senator Andy Uba, Chief Ayo Fashawe and a unidentified lady at about 4:30pm was about to be conveyed to Babangida’s house when his attention was drawn to the presence of Atiku at the airport.

    The former vice president who was already seated, awaiting clearance for his flight, stopped the pilot, alighted and headed straight to the car ferrying Obasanjo out of the airport and the two leaders hugged each other.

    A black BMW car with registration number – ABJ 01 RJ then took Obasanjo to the uphill residence of the former military president in company of Mohammed Babangida.

     

  • Tribal marks my ID card – Obasanjo

    Tribal marks my ID card – Obasanjo

    …Ex- president gets e-National ID card

    Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday collected his electronic National Identity Card from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), after spending over 10 minutes to activate the card as well as its inbuilt applications.

    Obasanjo, who in his characteristic manner of throwing banters, noted that not many people know that he has three identity cards.

    The former president listed his international passport, the National Identity Card and his Owu tribal marks (six lines incisions on each side of his cheeks) as his means of identification.

    Obasanjo, who spoke at his mansion on the Presidential Hill Top Estate, Abeokuta,  Ogun State, when the management and officials of the NIMC brought the card to him, also asked how much of the functions inherent in the e-card would be beneficial to the people in his Ibogun village and at what cost to them.

    He said,” Not many people know that I have three identity cards. The first is the international passport, the second is National Identity card and the third is my tribal marks. It is not funny that I’m collecting the National Identity card at a time that I’m unemployed and unemployable.

    “What we have now is what we wanted to do in 1979 but not as complex as this one and also not as sophisticated as this. Although we are getting the card late, but we are getting the best that technology can offer.

    “I have my worries and I always express my feelings. I have got special treatment but how will it be for someone in my village to be captured?

    “How much of this functionality in the card will be useful to him and how much will be paid knowing that poverty is still ravaging the rural dwellers. These are issues you will have to address.”

    He said the e-national identity card would not only help the country in tackling its security challenges, but would also assist in “intelligence gathering.”

  • ‘Obasanjo won’t influence primaries’

    ‘Obasanjo won’t influence primaries’

    A former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Sarafa Ishola, has said former President Olusegun Obasanjo will not influence the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Ogun State on November 29.

    Ishola, who obtained his governorship nomination form at the national secretariat at the weekend, said all aspirants should be able to count on Obasanjo’s neutrality.

    He said: “Our father in Ogun State, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, will treat all aspirants as his children and I am sure he will bless whoever the winner is.”

    The former minister, who was accompanied by some associates and supporters, said he was better equipped to meet the people’s hopes and aspirations.

    Ishola said the large number of aspirants showed that the leadership crisis in Ogun PDP had been resolved.

    He urged other aspirants to submit themselves to democratic principles during the primaries, warning that the process must not be conducted in a way that would re-open old wounds.

  • Obasanjo, Buhari differ on ‘same religion’ ticket

    Obasanjo, Buhari differ on ‘same religion’ ticket

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo disagreed yesterday with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari, on the place of religion in determining how a party should pick its presidential and vice presidential candidates for next year’s election.

    Buhari said Nigerians genuinely need a President and a vice-president who would place Nigeria first and pull it out of the brinks, regardless of whether or not both are Muslims or Christian.

    But Obasanjo noted that a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian presidential ticket at this time of the nation’s precarious unity was not only absurd but also out of tune with the present Nigeria.

    The former President, who was apparently reacting to Buhari’s position, said: “It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any party to be toying with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture.”

    Buhari, a former Head of State and three times a presidential candidate, told The Cable, an online media, that he saw nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket.

    The APC aspirant said his position did not make him a “fundamentalist”.

    He said: “I had demonstrated to Nigerians that I’m not a fundamentalist and there is nothing more I can do. Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings (over the issue of religion).

    “In 2003, I chose (the late Senator) Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor – Tunde Bakare.

    “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?

    “How about (the late Bashorun) Moshood Abiola, a Southern Muslim, who picked Babagana Kingibe, a Northern Muslim, as running mate in the 1993 presidential election? The Muslim-Muslim ticket went on to win an election that is still considered by many as the most credible in Nigeria’s history.

    “I have not absolutely closed my mind to picking a Christian or Muslim as running mate, if I get the ticket. This is because I firmly believe that Nigerians, having gone through what they have gone through, realise it is not a matter of religion but a matter of Nigeria.

    “The main religions – Christianity and Islam – know and they believe in Almighty God. The question of stealing and short-changing people in the name of religion should stop.”

    But in a statement yesterday from his Presidential Hill Top Estate in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo explained that because of the current peculiar situation of the country, it is pertinent that any leader or political party should run away from a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket in next year’s presidential election.

    Obasanjo said: “Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and arrangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust.

    “It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture.

    “Nigeria cannot, at this stage, raise the spectre and fear of Islamisation or Christianisation. The idea of proselytisation in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any serious-minded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria. This time is different from any other time.

    “Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allayed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity of the

    highest order but will also amount to bad politics indeed.”

  • Chibok: Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion – FG

    Chibok: Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion – FG

    The Federal Government on Tuesday said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is entitled to any opinion or comment he made on the Chibok school girls.

    The FG said it will remain focus, undistracted and committed to return the girls alive to their parents.

    Obasanjo had last week said many of the abducted schoolgirls may never be reunited with their families.

    The ex-president told The Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation that many of the girls may also give birth to children belonging to members of the Boko Haram sect.

    Obasanjo had said in June that he could negotiate the girls’ release if given the permission to do so.

    But the coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, while speaking with journalists in Abuja, Tuesday, said, “Obasanjo is a respected man and a former Nigerian president who is entitled to his opinion, comments and views.”

    “”The Government of Nigeria will remain undistracted, focused and committed to rescuing the girls alive,” he stated.

  • Obasanjo to PDP: drug baron can’t be my leader

    Obasanjo to PDP: drug baron can’t be my leader

    Ex-president shuns party’s peace talks

    Kashamu: I’m not wanted in U.S.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo rejected yesterday the peace moves by his party’s leadership, saying he cannot be in the same group with “a drug baron” wanted in the United States.

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders to do the “needful” instead of begging him for forgiveness.

    Said Obasanjo “Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security, including the issue of Chibok girls, widening inequality, infrastructure, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, skill acquisition, empowerment and employment.

    “These are issues of concern to most Nigerians.  We all need to join hands to move Nigeria forward.  I don’t need to be begged for that.

    “Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realise that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics – party or personal – otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history if not the bar of current affairs.

    “In addition, we must preserve, sustain and deepen democracy and democratic practices.”

    The former leader insisted that he had never left the party and would remain a card-carrying member, having ruled the country for two terms on its ticket.

    Obasanjo, who returned from a trip to South Africa at the weekend, made his position known in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday.

    He was reacting to last week’s statement by PDP National Chairman Adamu Mua’zu and other leaders when they were welcoming back into the fold former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    Mu’azu had said: “I want to join Governor Daniel to appeal to our Baba, President Olusegun Obasanjo, to forgive us. We are your children and we have been making mistakes; we have made mistakes and so we apologise.

    “Please, Baba, we apologise; come and lead us. Even the President (Jonathan) is waiting for you to come and lead us; you are our leader, we appreciate you, we thank you for your leadership and your courage.”

    The former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, who was in South Africa over South Sudan’s increasing insecurity and violence, said  he almost cut short his stay there following “the avalanche of news, cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP”, which he described as evidential manifestation of “misunderstanding and misrepresentation” of facts.

    Obasanjo, who added that he had occasion to make his stand on vital matters affecting the party known to Jonathan, Senate President David Mark, who recently visited him on behalf of the party.

    Obasanjo said issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character are to him paramount. He said he could not “accept that the zonal leader of my political party and, worse still in my zone, will be an indicted drug baron wanted in America.”

    He went on: “During last week when I was in South Africa as the Chairman of African Union (AU) Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and while with my fellow Commissioners, we were deliberating on how to help that new country (South Sudan) out of its problem of security and violence, I received an avalanche of news and cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP leadership.

    “Talking of inviting me back to PDP is wrong and it is a great misrepresentation as I have never left the PDP and I will never leave the PDP.

    “I have said it before and I will say it again, I rose to become the President of Nigeria on the platform of PDP and for that reason alone, I will remain a card-carrying and ward-active member of PDP for as long as I have to be a political party member.

    “Secondly, nobody has personally offended me as a result of my membership of PDP.  If, however, anybody or group feels offended by my continued membership, I will offer an unreserved apology but continue to remain in the Party.

    “I have had occasions to say to the President, the Senate President and the Party Chairman separately that I have no quarrel with any individual or group in the Party.  There are, for me, issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character, which are paramount.

    “For instance, as a former President of Nigeria, the Chairman of West Africa Commission on Drug and a member of Global Commission on Drug, I cannot accept that the Zonal leader of my political Party and, worse still in my zone, will be an indicted drug baron wanted in America.

    “How do I explain that to friends outside Nigeria?  This is only one of the many issues that I have pointed and still pointing out.

    “I have national and international standard to maintain and reputation to keep and sustain.  For these reasons, I opted to remain active only at the ward level of the Party till the leadership does the needful.

    “But under no condition will my commitment to Nigeria be diminished.  And, for me, it is commitment to Nigeria first and any other commitment can only follow in second or third place. Where any other commitment is in tandem with what I see and understand as commitment to Nigeria, such other commitment will share a pride of place with Nigeria.

    “I must hasten to thank the President, the Senate President and the Chairman of PDP with whom, at their instances, these issues have been discussed and laid to rest.  My interest and commitment to Nigeria go beyond partisan politics.”

  • Obasanjo laments her death

    Obasanjo laments her death

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo lamented yesterday the death of ex-managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Mrs. Remi Oyo, saying it has “left a very sour taste in the mouth.”

    Obasanjo, in a condolence message to the family of his former senior special assistant on media, said he received the news of her demise with “sadness and heaviness of heart.” He noted that the late Mrs. Oyo was a “thoroughbred professional in journalism.”

    Obasanjo, who also described Mrs. Oyo’s death as quite “painful,” said the nation’s media industry remained largely dominated by those, who had been positively influenced directly and indirectly by her.

    The former President rued that Remi’s passage was painful, especially as she still had a lot to contribute to her family, community and country.