Obasanjo: Mere Speeches Are Not Just Enough

By

Jide Ayobolu

jideayobolu@yahoo.co.uk

The speech by President Olusegun Obasanjo at the third second National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP meeting in Abuja and the presidential speech at the INEC Forum recently were characterized by political sophistry and unbridled audacious mendacity. The President talked about a historical break through in transition from one civilian government with change of leadership at the federal level and changes in most states of the federation. He in fact, remarked that, the Interim National Government is illegal and evil and he would handover power come May 29, 2007. However, it must be pointed in very clear terms that, if indeed this is what is envisioned about the 2007, why all the desperate attempts and political manipulations to foist a tenure elongation agenda on the country, or what has come to be known as the third term agenda?

It would be recalled that the reason why the National Reform Committee was instituted in the first place, is not to restructure the policy, as the Presidency would want us to believe, instead, it is because of the hitherto hidden agenda of staying in power beyond the time legally allowed by the 1999 Constitution. If it was because of restructuring the polity, what steps have been taken to restructure the lopsided, unitary and warped prevailing structures? It was only when the third term agenda was roundly defeated in the National Assembly and other options open to the President to illegitimately hang on to power failed that, he is now making noise about handing over power.

This is a good development since, he has booked himself into a very tight corner, but the fact of the matter is that the President cannot be trusted in such matters as this. Hence, the Civil Society Groups, NGO’s and indeed, all stakeholders in the Nigerian State, should not in any way lower their guards, as the President make a U-turn and take the country for a ride. The pressure for him to leave must be consistently mounted, until he actually vacates his seat.

Furthermore, the President went ahead to say that since 1999 Nigeria moved from a pariah state to a fast-growing economy that is steadily attracting global interests and foreign investors. This is also very far from the truth, what will attract foreign investors into the country today? Is it the underdevelopment and dilapidating nature of our infrastructure and amenities? Is it the ceaseless and wanton politically motivated killings without any silver lining in the horizon? Is it the frequent hostage taking in the Niger Delta region? Is it the inconsistent government policy and lackadaisical attitude toward business? Is it general state of insecurity in the country? Is it the persistent hounding of investors, like Mike Adenuga that would encourage investors to come to the country? Or even the terrorist activities of the EFCC? In fact, the question, the President ought to ask himself is, why are Nigerians not investing in their own country? How can Nigerians invest in her economy when over 70 percent of the entire population lives on less that $1 per day?

According to UNDP data, Nigeria is among the world poorest nations, with a GDP figure per head of US $1,050 in 2003 compared with an average of US $1,328 for all less developed countries. With respect to key Millennium Development Goal (MDG) poverty and social indicators, in the country compares unfavourably with the average for low-income countries. To become a rich country will therefore require more than having crude oil. It will require organization, effort and good leadership which Nigeria glaringly lacks today.

Again, the President said categorically that, there is no longer any question as to whether the comprehensive reform agenda of his administration is owned by the ruling party. These reforms are PDP reforms. Again, this is a white lie! Perhaps, since the president was not part and parcel of those that formed the PDP at inception, it seems, he never took time to carefully read and digest the manifesto of the PDP. Besides, it would be recalled that Chief Audu Ogbeh was the National Chairman of the PDP, he said, those in government were just churning out programmes without, consulting with the party. Hence, there is a wide quit between government policies and the party. And, people were blaming the party for the negative effects of the misanthropic economic policies. It was for this reason that, Audu Ogbeh was forced to resign his chairmanship of PDP at gun-point, so, what is the President talking about? Similarly, the President opined that, I am sure you are hearing what I hear everywhere, when people marvel at the phenomenal changes that have taken place since we came in 1999. This is most appalling remark from the President. For goodness sake, the country is almost all a standstill, where nothing is working. Governance has more or less become a disappearing phenomenon, and Nigeria has been described by some writers as a failed state. The roads in the country are in a deplorable state of repair; the hospitals are worse than mere consulting clinics; the education sector is in a shambles; the agriculture sector has taken a back-turner; the solid mineral sector is virtually non-existence; aviation and tourism have been neglected; housing is for the affluent; poverty; unemployment and misery are ubiquitous; people are generally finding things difficult; Nigeria imports most of what it eats; and the situation in the country have moved from bad to worse, and there is no sign of improvement now or in the future except there is a change in leadership. And like Professor Layi Erinosho rightly noted, “it is true that is worldwide economic recession. However, in the case of Nigeria, its impact was aggravated by mismanagement. We believe that appropriate government agencies gave good advice but their advice was disregarded by the leadership. The situation could have been saved if the legislators were alive to their responsibilities. Instead, the legislators were pre-occupied with determining their salaries, fringe benefits, and un-necessary foreign travels etc, which took no account of the state of the economy and the welfare of the people they represented.” And, Mohammed Haruna puts it very lucidly, when he said, “it is measure of the credibility gap between what he (President) said and what he meant, that he still went ahead to seek for an extension of his own tenure through the Constitutional Amendment that collapsed several months ago.” One very important point to note is that, one year of bad leadership, like we have now can set a country back more than ten years.

If these were not so, why will the President want to be referred to as the founder and leader of modern Nigeria? This is how dictatorship the world over starts, and this more than anything else demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubts that, indeed the President is not ready to relinquish power come May 29^th 2007. He meant to be in power forever. However, Nigeria is too big and complex a country, to be held hostage by the inordinate political ambition of one man, who have no regards whatsoever for the people of Nigeria. Those who really fought for the emancipation of Nigeria from shackles of colonialism, foreign domination and oppression, and helped optimally in the attainment of independence never sought to be labeled with any such titles.

Really, instead of these manipulations and behind-the-scene scheming, what the President should be doing now is preparing his hand-over-notes as well as making solid preparations to conduct free and fair election that will be credible and generally acceptable to all.

Also, the President said of the PDP that, the steps and measures that have taken so far have facilitated the emergence of a more disciplines, more cohesive, truly national movement with a clear focus. Haba, Mr. President! It is either the President is not serious at all or he is just been economical with the truth, this is a PDP that, has been described as a nest of killers, in which political aspirants have been continuously assassinated without any clue, and the culture of killing have persisted with impunity. This is a party where elected officials were forcefully removed from office, and replaced by handpicked people that have no democratic credentials, this is a party that de-registered its bona-fide members, this is a party is factionalized into three political groupings, so, what is the President saying? This is a party that has failed to take stock, it does not know where it is coming from or where, it is going. It has not soberly and genuinely reflected on its activities, no doubt, the President is wallowing in a delusion of grandeur.

President Obasanjo should know that mere speeches are not just enough. He should do what is morally and legally right. Nigerians can no longer be taken for a ride. People are watching closely, the unfolding political scenario and time will tell; in the final analysis those who will be on the right side of history.