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Abacha & Obasanjo; Is History Repeating? By Yoo Ali
When Abacha took over from Shonekan as the head of state and C-in-C; there was relief in the Nation that was suffocating from the choking smoke of annulment of the june 12 election. He went on to set up institutions like the PTF which had modest achievements in road construction and health care among others. PTF was known for quality and delivery on promise. They might have had their failures but overall PTF was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it was scraped without replacement in this dispensation; more out of throwing away the baby with the bad waters, than from economic or strategic viewpoint. Abacha, assembled intellectuals and captains of industries and various economic gurus’s to fashion out vision 2010. It is and remains one of the most and to date only relevant and well-structured economic blueprint for Nigeria as a nation in a drive to follow in the steps of the Asia tigers. It is also on record that during his regime the economy was more stable than it was before and after.
He then began a transition to civilian democracy, that appeared on the surface for real and politicians again jumped on the bandwagon. However, as the process gathered steam, what started like a rumour in the beer parlours began to make ways into political party headquarters. And, before long all the parties had surrendered their presidential slot to Abacha. Save for some few folks like, the Gani’s, Soyinka and a few band of determined politicians, the rest had thrown in the towel. All the registered parties had caved in. This was going on inspite of the fact that Abacha himself never publicly declared his intention to contest. His intension though not expressed, was so visible and so loud that even the blind could see and the deaf could hear it.
Every Nigerian knew that this plan of Abacha to succeed himself was not a very good one. Attempting to do otherwise was suicide. Yar-Adua, Abiola, Obasanjo and a few that dare the general had either lost their lives or had a rough shoulder with the long arm of the law. Every explosion that took place was termed – the handwork of NADECO. The late Wada Nas did a very good job of seen that, if a cat jump out of the dustbin NADECO was held responsible. The people were held in suspense, while the political parties were jostling to get Abacha on their platform. Every other voice of presidential interest either became silent of its own accord or was silenced. The general himself lost his beloved son while at Aso rock.
While, the above was happening, the government that started on a hopeful note for the nation drifted into near stagnation. The insatiable, cancer of corruption took over the running of government. And so long you can criticise NADECO and those who were seen as opposing the junta, you are free to cut the pie as you wish. On the other hand any criticism of the drift, no matter how genuine was punished mercilessly.
The whole nation surrendered to the general and his will until, that fateful day when the nation was woken to the shock realisation that the general has gone. Not removed by man, but called by the creator of life. This was a very sad moment for the nation but that also brought relief to a country that was once again on the brink.
The death of General Abacha gave life to Obasanjo, who wasn’t sure he would see the next day while in prison, especially as his contemporaries were dying one after the other.
As fate will have it Obasanjo became the president of FRN on 29th may 1999. This is a classic case of Head of state –to prisoner on the brink of death – back to Head of state. The platform under which he became the president (PDP), was a negotiated instrument of men of diverged ideologies and leanings. The position we were at that time in our country’s history, there was no better person to be the president, than a former military general from the southwest. At least so a lot of people thought, for the simple fact that the military had become so corrupt that trying to rein them with civilian gloves would be a difficult task and may result in another coup. And to appease that region for the mandate that was not to be due to annulment. It was in my opinion reasonable to have a former general reform the military and re-establish them in the barracks. There after would a civilian be capable of taking over and running the government successfully.
Despite the formidable challenges that confronted his government, Obasanjo has modest achievements. The privatisation process is a major step forward. It had its own hiccups, but it has done very well overall. We are not there yet, but we are certainly not where we were in 1999. The reform in the banking sector has brought some sanity into the banking and financial sector. NAFDAC, in spite of the monumental task did manage to bring down the preponderance of fake drugs to a significantly lower level than it was. Dr Okonja-Iweala, Oby, Nnenadi and Akuyili are women who have really added sunlight to the adminstartion. Interestingly, most of these women are from Anambra state, which seem to experience the most instability. This is, due in part to some disagreement between the state and the central government leadership on who controls the state.
Another plank of Obasanjo’s administration is his fight against corruption. It is very clear that no government, save that of Buhari has fought this scourge the way this administration is doing. There are constitutional bottlenecks to this process, but nonetheless the fight has been sustained. It is no longer business as usual for a governor or any political official to just load his bag with dollars and pounds from state allocation with an immunity tag and fly out. It is becoming less fashionable. This is a major milestone achievement. There are questions surrounding some close allies to the president who have messed-up their hands with the proverbial pie. But, these questions are excusable as corruption cannot be completely eliminated and all looted wealth returned in a year. I believe, if the war on corruption is sustained, the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with every criminal no matter how powerful he might be now.
Obasanjo’s administration is now turning a critical point, that of handing over to another president after serving his constitutional 8 years. That he wanted to contest a third term started as a beer parlour gist soon after his second inauguration. He moved in swiftly to dominate and exercise control over the PDP, many chairmen were planted and remove at his beck and call. Entire leadership of the party was hand picked and planted on an interim basis and latter ratified by a yea voice vote at the December 2005 convention. The party primaries from local government to the federal were fraught with complains of irregularities. Those who were not in support of the president no matter how powerful were to be humiliated. State governors and prominent politicians were not spared; including the founders of the PDP as a political party. The love lost between the Vice President and the President is glaring even to the blind. The president has not hidden his desire to reduce the vice president to a piece of cake on account of insubordination. But, even political amateurs can see clearly that the heart of the matter is the third term issue. The VP felt he has supported his boss for two terms and it is the turn of his boss to support him. He does not seem to be seen this sort of support, and to add salt to injury, even his political base is been ferociously eroded. This is being done in the name of sanitising the party
I am not interested in who emerges as the president; what I expect is that whoever that person is he must provide us with water, electricity and good roads. But, with the stoking of the polity, a lot seems to be in the neutral gear. The president seems to have concluded the so-called party sanitation, but has realise that there is now more confusion in the system than it was a year ago. And the reason is simple, if you DON’T TOLERATE OPPOSING VIEWPOINT, then all you have left are your recycled ideas and a chunk of yes-men, if they have failed before they will fail again. IF YOU DON’T FORGIVE, then you are taking the position of GOD ALMIGHTY. Now this is the most dangerous part to tread. If you don’t tread carefully here you may tumble on the tombstone of proud hero’s past and their fate. Recent incidences in our country; spate of air crashes, death of prominent men and women are not good omens. We need to be tolerant but firm in our actions as leaders and above all GOD fearing.
Mr president if you are not interested in the third term agenda, please save us from the Abacha type suspense and say so. And, if you are interested let the whole nation know expressly. The two political parties (ANPP and PDP) have surrendered it seem, but opposition is mounting outside the mainstream political institutions. I am beginning to see the same unedited script of the Abacha era playing back; the boss keep mum, the nation in suspense, the forces at work subtly but surely, the political parties cave-in, opposition gagged or gaoled etc, etc……….until GOD spoke.
You have done fairly modestly Mr President in your short years; you can handover the batten to another Nigerian. This time, to someone who has clean hands that he may continue the war on corruption. But, a much younger Nigerian, who could drive the ship of state with renewed youthful vigour of the sort of the Asian Tigers. Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore stepped down when the ovation was high, Dr Mahathir of Malaysia did it and so was Nelson Mandela of South Africa. You don’t need to make amendments to the constitution to extend your stay. You are clearly an African statesman and can still support the government outside Aso Rock. Don’t let the scourge that destroyed the the Babangida and Abacha administration drown you at Aso rock- the quest for power, more power and absolute and endless power.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA.
YOO ALI
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