Obasanjos’ Views On 3rd Term

By

Olu Majomi

liberalnigeria@yahoo.com

 

 

Over the past several months the proponents of life presidency for Obasanjo, through the so-called 3rd term agenda, have advanced a number of arguments to justify their position.  These include that Obasanjo needs more time to complete his reforms; that there is a need to continue with the reforms; that he is the only one who can hold the country together and develop our economy; that we should not remove a leader who is doing well, etc.

 

But Obasanjo has provided what is perhaps the best argument against the proponents of the 3rd term agenda.  His very eloquent and convincing argument is contained in an interview he granted Tell magazine in 1993 when it was clear that Babangida was trying to perpetuate himself in power and his sycophants then made arguments similar to the ones being made by Obasanjo’s men today. Incidentally the same characters who did it for Babangida and later Abacha are among those doing it for Obasanjo today, such people as Ibrahim Mantu, Tony Anenih, and Jerry Gana.  So let us examine those arguments and what Obasanjo’s responses were in 1993.  Readers would see that Obasanjo’s rebuttal, which we considered solid then, is still solid today.  We think they are and should guide Nigerians who are opposed to the criminal manipulation of the political system to satisfy one man’s greed and assuage his fears.

 

What about the argument that we should not change a government that is doing well, which PDP National Chairman, Ahmadu Ali, and others have made?

 

Obasanjo’s words: …Some people have said to me that really, after a period of six to eight years, you could get tired of an administration even if the administration is doing well. People feel, “well let’s have a change”. When the administration appears not to be doing well, it’s even worse.

 

What about their claim that Obasanjo should not leave until he completes his reforms and other on-going projects and the claim that only he can hold Nigeria together and solve our problems?

 

Obasanjo’s words: I don’t know what they mean by that. That sounds like the story of a friend of mine in government in another African country who said that he would not handover in his country until he eradicates poverty. I said to him that it will take the likes of his children and his children’s children for him to continue to remain as the president of his country before that happened. Well, he’s no longer the President of this country. Poverty has not improved. I don’t think anybody in his senses will tell us that….

 

Would there really be a transition in 2007 given what is going on now and what does Obasanjo think of the about the people working for him to actualize the 3rd term agenda?

 

Obasanjo’s words: Well, I have not shifted from what I have held firmly to and that is that the transition programme is a charade. We have had President Babangida manoeuvring, manipulating, playing the game his own way and until he decides that he has scored a goal or he has over-dribbled himself, I don’t believe that we will know where we are as far as I am concerned. So when you even now talk of transition programme, one doesn’t know which transition you are talking about. The only programme in town is President Babangida’s programme as he conceives it, as he plays it, as he unfolds it and as he enunciates it. He is the programme, he is the government, he is what goes and what does not go.

 

I won’t be surprised at anything. We have heard what Keith Atkins and Arthur Nzeribe are doing; we have heard what other people are doing. I would expect that where honour and integrity are called for, he won’t allow anybody to do this type of thing on his behalf. So, when people come out and say, “Well the election in June will be stalemated,” I shrug my shoulders because all the ingredients for it are there. Or when they say President Babangida hasn’t got his man whom he will put there, I shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, I wish him the best of luck.” One hopes he will get his man soon. But I know one thing: when Babangida does leave, he will be doing so because the cost of not leaving will be much more than the cost of leaving. When that happens, I think we’ll have Nigerians and the international community who are friends of Nigeria to back those Nigerians who have stood up against what they believe is not right.

 

…what will change between January 2, 1992 and August 27, 1993 assuming that August 27 1993 will be a reality which I will only want to see to believe? The only thing that would have changed is that he would probably have got the man he believes can best succeed him to serve his purposes. He would have lost a little bit more esteem from the international community. Nigeria and Nigerians would have been further impoverished. We would have been further polarized. We would have descended further into a situation where people feel more and more hopeless. He would have gained or lost a few more sycophants.

 

Is it proper to manipulate the transition programme, including amending the Constitution for a President’s selfish end? Should a President continue in office when people have lost faith in him, do not trust him? How important is credibility in governance?

 

Obasanjo words: “…we now have an administration in deficit…we have an administration that is deficit in credibility. That is very, very important. It’s deficit in honesty, deficit in honour, deficit in truth. The only thing that it has in surplus is saying one thing and doing something else, undermining the structures and fabrics that hold the nation together.  All these have increased cynicism and skepticism about government and governance in Nigeria. And until something is done to remove this or reverse it, all other things will be difficult.  It has now got to a stage that when government says “good morning”, people will look out four times to ascertain that time of the day before they reply.  That’s a bad situation for any society, for any human institution.  I was told that the other day, somebody said stability is more important than credibility in this government. Now, what is the basis of stability if credibility is lost? Are you not losing stability? I wonder. I wonder. 

 

 

Is it proper that a leader should be lying to the people, not squaring up to them, deceiving them, not doing what he says but rather says something and does something else? Also do the silence and seemingly elastic capacity of Nigerians to endure bad governance and dictatorship really mean that they should be taken for granted, that the 3rd term agenda should continue to be pursued?

 

Obasanjo’s words: Any administration that comes up must just learn one lesson. That lesson is that though Nigerians may be quiet, silent, and their absorbing capacity being elastic, and all that, I believe that it is important that the government levels up with the people, dealing honestly with the people. I must say that this is an administration that has done the least in the history of this country since independence.

 

Who really can stop the push towards life Presidency through the 3rd term agenda? What is the best strategy for dealing with a President who wants to manipulate the Constitution in order to perpetuate himself in power?  In order words, now that it seems clear that Obasanjo is planning to stay beyond May 29, 2007 what should Nigerians do: beg/plead with him, pamper/bribe him or challenge him?

 

Obasanjo’s words: I believe that now, we’ve passed the stage of appeal to the stage where Babangida needs to be challenged. It’s not individual challenge. It’s a challenge by Nigerians, a challenge by the international community. So, when I talk of the cost of staying being higher than the cost of not staying, it is that challenge that I believe will make the difference.

 

Why would a President manipulate a country’s political system, including the Constitution, which he swore to uphold, in order to perpetuate himself in power? Is it really about helping the country, patriotism?

 

Obasanjo’s words: There are only two things that can make a man give his word and go back on it: fear or greed. I hope Babangida has only one.