Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was again in the news last week for the wrong reasons. That of course did not come as a surprise to many as the two time leader has made it a habit since leaving office to butt in with needless and useless intervention in national discourse in order to remain relevant. Why he has not retired from public life, and saving himself such embarrassment, remains a mystery. It is noteworthy that the former leader has not made any meaningful contribution towards enhancing national cohesion and development other than the divisive comments that have become his trademark.
He was in his elements during the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] at the Presidential Villa last week when he declared that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his Deputy, Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha respectively should resign from their positions by 2013 in order to maintain the zoning arrangement of the party, warning that failure to do so may result in the collapse of the party that prides itself as the largest political party in Africa.
Obasanjo told a captive audience that included the President Goodluck Jonathan that “Having laid out the position of the party, we should realize that what happened on 5th June 2011 when the House of Representatives set aside the zoning, rotation and federal character policy and programme of the party and seemingly went against the party policy, programme is a serious issue that the party cannot sweep under the carpet”.
He went on to remind them that the zoning policy must to restored because it was the policy that brought him, late President Yar’adua and even incumbent President Jonathan to power. If Obasanjo had been living in the moon for the past eight months or so perhaps he could be excused for making such statement in flagrant disregard and contempt for the sensibilities of Nigerians especially some from the northern part who had fought tooth and nail to safeguard the PDP’s zoning arrangement. But he cannot be excused because he was right here when President Jonathan and his cohorts selfishly rode roughshod over the party and the nation to foist himself as the party’s candidate for the presidential elections despite the existing arrangement that would have seen a candidate from the north fill the slot. Did Obasanjo lose his voice then or was it because that suited his own selfish agenda then?
We are shocked that a person who benefited from a democratic process that saw him lead this country for eight uninterrupted years could ask the Speaker and his Deputy who were elected in the most transparent democratic manner to resign. Without a doubt, this once again calls to question Obasanjo’s democratic credentials even though he has done and said enough over the years to prove to all that he indeed does not have any.
The former president cannot just eat his cake and have. As one of the prominent leaders of the South West in the PDP, it is obvious that he did not do his home work to ensure that the party made any serious in roads in the region during the general elections as reflected in its woeful performance. It beats the imagination how it would then be rewarded with such high position as the office of Speaker. That members of the House stood up against such imposition was commendable and only serves to strengthen our democracy against the kind of tyranny that Obasanjo and his likes wanted to foster.
Obasanjo should do us all a favour and retire to his farm and tend to his chicken perhaps they can lend a listening ear to his drivel.
Peoples Daily Editorial
