Obasanjo and 2003

By

Abubakar Jika

jikaab@yahoo.com

This is not meant to preempt the on going consultation by President Olusegun Obansajo with God as to his post 2003 political future. The gentleman had on two occasions told his audience the second one led by Anenih’s wife, to allow him more time to consult with God on what he should do. We all remember that it was Anenih who first told us that there would be no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2003. That was early last year. Apparently he must have completed his own consultation with God as far back as that time.

 

Anenih’s wife along with other women ostensibly went to “pressure” His Excellency to quickly complete his consultations with the Almighty, whose out come they apparently had inkling of. It reminds me of the Abacha days, when Daniel Kanu and his YEAA were drumming at the Eagles Square while Abacha was consulting God. We later saw the decision of God. Kanu told us there would be no Nigeria after without Abacha. Well there has been Obasanjo’s Nigeria after Abacha. I do not need to consult God to know that unless the world ends now, there would be Nigeria long after the era of Obasanjo. My friend Imam has been claiming that there is no credible alternative to Obasanjo. Well I do not know weather he still read newspapers. i have been reading of Rimi, Buhari and Babangida. Imam may not agree, but to me each is more credible than Obasanjo. And I am from the so-called Northeast Geo-Political zone. While we are at it, I bet any of this gentlemen will defeat Obasanjo in the Northeast

 

While he is in his divination with God, we can only highlight some issues to Mr President. One God does not come down and speak to individuals although some insist they hear His voice. As some one wrote the other day, if what we are seeing in Nigeria are acts of God- and we have no cause to dispute this –then He has spoken a long time ago.  He spoke through the performance of President Olusegun Obasanjo in the past three years.

 

There is a clear growing consensus that President Obasanjo has this time around failed. He not only failed but also did so dismally.  We are witnessing the demystification of hitherto legend.  In my view it is a pitiful sight. I do not think after obasanjo any other Nigerian can claim messianic touch. It is the final bus stop for the politically haughty. Nobody can cover our eyes with wool any more. Not after this.

 

A look at all the indices of performance shows a clear, sad failure. What are my unimpeachable proves that Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo has failed as president? One security of lives and property. This is the primary responsibility of any government. How safe is your life now compared to before Obasanjo? We all have the answers. Armed robbery and riots are in comparative terms more now than say Abacha days.

 

 

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Even Abuja, which used to be relatively safe during Abacha days with the Strike Force prowling from suleja to marrarraba to Gwagwagala is no longer safe. Recently there are series of armed robberies at Karu Site, Nyanya, Karu village, kubwa, and even high brow Abuja municipal. These were less during the days of Abacha. We are not talking of Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Onitsha and other major cites.  Lives in these areas were brutish, with fears of armed robbers ruling the life styles of Nigerians.

To cut a long story short even his own Chief law officer, political confidant and friend Bola Ige was cheaply snuffed out in his own bedroom at Ibadan.

 

Second, stability, there is no appreciable stability in Nigeria. OPC is virtually a parallel government massacring Northerners in Lagos. The only saving grace is the restrain of Northerners, not because of prowling army and police, but determination to give Mr. President a long rope: how do you safeguard your subjects lives amongst your own people? We are a patient people. It was Anthony Enahoro who analyzed the northern mind very astutely after saudauna, Babewa and Maimalari were murdered in 1966. Since the fellow has political understanding with the President’s party: PDP he should intimate them of his analysis of Northerners.

 

Third, poverty eradication: This is generally agreed to have collapsed.  Everybody knows that it is now enmeshed in high wired politics. Even the House of Representatives in a resolution condemn the Executive arm on this failure.

 

Fourth, Electricity supplies as key to powering the national economy has performed abysmally. Indeed the president who removed late Bola Ige as Minister of mines and power took over NEPA. He gave December last year as dateline in ensuring uninterrupted power supply. He failed woefully. In saner climes this failure and inability to keep to his word would have compelled Obasanjo to resign. But he is staying put.

 

Fifth, insensitivity and what many regard as arrogance and dictatorial tendencies. He appears to believe he is the only intelligent chap around, who knows all the solutions. He showed crass insensitivity to the Lagos bomb explosion victims. His remarks have entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most insensitive.

 

He also appears not to be keeping his words. He promised from the onset that there would be no office of First Lady. Well it appears to me his wife, Stella is more visible than Maryam wife of Abacha. After all he was there before and it was not like this.

 

Above all his privatization programme is neither transparent nor fair to all bidders. I believe the entire venture may be probed in future and doubtful sale be revoked. After all he revoked the Durbar Sale of Abacha. Already the House of Representative has declared the entire transaction, particularly that of NITEL as insincere.

 

So where does that leave Obasanjo: the verdict is already out. Unless he wrought miracles within this year history may judge him worse than Abacha. He may not care how history judges him. But we even care less. Certainly he has failed and all genuine people are agreed on this.

 

 

 

But I bet he will not go quietly to his farm in Otta. I suspect he will cling to power. In fact I will be surprise if he goes without a whimper. It appears to me he is more of a Mugabe than Mandela. Mugabe is the fellow in Zimbabwe, who after spending 22years and completely demystified himself wants to stay in power and perhaps die like Abacha.

 

Already the north, and I can here confidently talk about the region is seriously and genuinely searching for alternative to Obasanjo. The search is wide, deep, serous and sincere, from any part of Nigeria. I doubt if the North as I know it today would vote for Obasanjo irrespective of his questlings.

 

The way I see it, of the tripod on while rest his northern support, two are in confusion. First IBB and his group. Though IBB may still be supporting Obasanjo, but it is becoming an increasingly difficult, if not impossible sale. He either abandons the forlorn hope of refoisting the Egba chief on the North or risk becoming irrelevant around here. It is far better for him to finally reconcile with the Buhari group and for the duo in corroboration with Shagari, Gowon and Abdulsalam think of a way forward.

 

The second group: Middle belt is sharply and irreconcilable divided. The Danjuma factor is no longer as decisive as before. The Tivs appear to have made up their minds. He is only left with the Yar’adua group which is increasingly becoming wobbly. Many of their advisers are complaining their inherited leader- Atiku Abubakar- now wears Yoruba Caps as a sigh of fidelity even at inappropriate occasions including Council meetings. They did not bargain for a blind political surrender to Yoruba political agenda.   

 

There is no political succor in the East or West either for Baba Iyabo.  This is not to talk of Northeast despite clowning of characters like Imam and Zwingina. He said he is not a Mandela. Well if he insists on being a Mudabe, Nigerians, I am afraid would give him the Cotre ds Voir treatment in 2003. The decision is his. He make his, we make ours.

 

JIKA teaches at the Dept of Mass Communication Bayero University, Kano.