"Up till two months ago, Mr. President, you told me that you have not told anybody that you would contest in 2015. I quickly pointed out to you that the signs and the measures on the ground do not tally with your statement. You said the same to one other person who shared his observation with me. And only a fool would believe that statement you made to me judging by what is going on. I must say it is not ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and more honorable path."2. The broken promises by President Jonathan casts him as a man without honor.
Obasanjo said it was "fatally morally flawed" for Mr. Jonathan to contest in 2015, Mr. Obasanjo added, "As a leader, two things you must cherish and hold dear among others are trust and honour both of which are important ingredients of character. I will want to see anyone in the Office of the Presidency of Nigeria as a man or woman who can be trusted, a person of honour in his words and character."3. Bamanga Tukur is just the 'sacrificial lamb' in the ongoing PDP crisis threatening to tear the party apart and President Jonathan is solely responsible for PDP's troubles.
Obasanjo said apart from using party chairman Bamanga Tukur to cause multiple crises and divide the ranks of the party, the president's failure to keep a promise he made not to seek a second term is also generating tension within the ruling party.4. According to Obasanjo, President Jonathan has been found guilty of 'misplaced allegiance' towards PDP.
"It would be unfair to continue to level full blames on the Chairman (Tukur) for all that goes wrong with the party," Mr. Obasanjo said. "The chairman is playing the tune dictated by the paymaster (Jonathan). But the paymaster is acting for a definitive purpose for which deceit and deception seem to be the major ingredients.
…supporting opposition parties' candidates in governorship elections in Lagos, Ondo, Edo and Anambra states at the detriment of PDP's own candidates –, and of pitting party members against one another, the ex-president said.5. Obasanjo accused President of not tackling the Boko Haram menace head on, advising Jonathan on ways to handle this security problem.
Mr. Obasanjo urged Mr. Jonathan to adopt a carrot and stick approach in dealing with the insurgency explaining that "conventional military actions based on standard phases of military operations alone will not permanently and effectively deal with the issue of Boko Haram".6. From the opinions of Obasanjo, President Jonathan is all about his own Ijaw tribe.
"For you to allow yourself to be "possessed", so to say, to the exclusion of most of the rest of Nigerians as an "Ijaw man" is a mistake that should never have been allowed to happen. Yes, you have to be born in one part of Nigeria to be Nigerian if not naturalized but the Nigerian President must be above ethnic factionalism. And those who prop you up as of, and for 'Ijaw nation' are not your friends genuinely, not friends of Nigeria nor friends of 'Ijaw nation' they tout about.7. President Jonathan is allegedly training snipers and placing over 1000 Nigerians on political watch list.
"To allow or tacitly encourage people of 'Ijaw nation' to throw insults on other Nigerians from other parts of the country and threaten fire and brimstone to protect your interest as an Ijaw man is myopic and your not openly quieting them is even more unfortunate.
Two Ijaw men, ex-militant Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, and a former federal commissioner for information, Edwin Clark, who carries himself around as the political godfather of the president, are known to talk down on people opposed to the president.
Mr. Obasanjo also accused Mr. Jonathan of placing over 1000 Nigerians on political watch list and "training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his killers".8. The presidency is assisting a murderer to evade justice. The angry ex-president wrote:
"Presidential assistance for a murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation to welcome him home can only be in bad taste generally but particularly to the family of his victim," Mr. Obasanjo said. "Assisting criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do for you what he had done for Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learned his lesson. Let us continue to watch."9. Obasanjo called on the National Assembly to take quick action on the recent allegation in the country that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit billions of dollars in proceeds of crude oil sales to the federation account.
He wrote: "This allegation will not fly away by non-action, cover-up, denial or bribing possible investigators," Mr. Obasanjo told the President. "Please deal with this allegation transparently and let the truth be known.10. The ex-president is prepared for any criticisms his letter to the presidency and even prepared to 'give his life' to fight a cause.
"The dramatis personae in this allegation and who they are working for will one day be public knowledge. Those who know are watching if the National Assembly will not be accomplice in the heinous crime and naked grand corruption. May God grant you the grace for at least one effective corrective action against high corruption which seems to stink all around you in your government."
Knowing what happens around you most of which you know of and condone or deny, this letter will proke cacophony from hired and unhired attackers but I will maintain my serenity because by this letter, I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to your government, to the party, PDP, and to our country, Nigeria…," Mr. Obasanjo said.Well, that is summary
"I have passed the stage of being flattered, intimidated, threatened, frightened, induced or bought… Death is the end of all human beings and may it come when God wills it to come."
Obama — who met the former South African president briefly only once in 2005, but was inspired to enter politics by the anti-apartheid hero's example — paid a somber heartfelt tribute within 45 minutes of Mandela's death being announced.
"We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again," Obama said in a televised statement, hailing his political hero for his "fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others." Obama said Mandela, in his journey from a
"prisoner to a president," transformed South Africa and "moved all of us."
"He achieved more than could be expected of any man."
"Today he's gone home and we've lost one of
the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth.
"He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the
ages." Obama recalled how his passion for change
was stirred by taking part in an anti-apartheid rally — his first ever political act. "The day that he was released from prison gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they're guided by their hopes and not by their fears," Obama said.
Mandela's fragile health overshadowed Obama's trip to South Africa in June, and there had been fears that the former South African leader would pass away while Obama was in the country.
The president decided against visiting Mandela in hospital, reasoning he would be a distraction, and met with members of his family instead.
But his entire trip became a prolonged tribute to Obama, and the president took his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha to Robben Island, where Mandela was held in spartan conditions by the racist apartheid
regime. In one wrenching shot taken by his official
photographer, Obama was pictured in the tiny
cell where Mandela once lived, with his emotional daughter in his arms. He also walked with his family around the bleak limestone quarry on the island — off
the coast of Cape Town — where Mandela endured years of backbreaking and futile
work under the eyes of white South African guards.
White House officials have already privately indicated that Obama will be expected to travel to South Africa at some time during elaborate funeral ceremonies for Mandela, who he often referred to by his tribal name Madiba.
Obama will likely be joined on Air Force One by other key political leaders from the United States — including some of the living former presidents — who were quick to react toMandela's death with their own statements.
"I will never forget my friend Madiba," Bill Clinton said in a tweet, accompanied by a photo of he and Mandela together.
"History will remember Nelson Mandela as a champion for human dignity and freedom, for peace and reconciliation," Clinton, who was president when Mandela took power, said in a
longer statement.
Jimmy Carter said that Mandela's passion for "freedom and justice created new hope for generations of oppressed people worldwide."
"Because of him, South Africa is today one of
the world's leading democracies," Carter said
in a statement.
George H.W. Bush said he had watched in wonder as Mandela forgave his captors following 26 years in jail — "setting a powerful example of redemption and grace for us all."
"He was a man of tremendous moral courage, who changed the course of history in his country," Bush senior said. George W. Bush said that Mandela was "one of the great forces for freedom and equality of
our time. He bore his burdens with dignity and grace, and our world is better off because of his example.
Be sure to visit www.vicwapblog.com for more tutorials.
Some parents and students, who spoke with the NAN in Abuja, expressed mixed feelings concerning the Federal Government's directive. Mr Ekpontas Uwanna,
a parent, said that it was improper for the Federal
Government to order ASUU to call off its strike in such an abrupt manner, without reaching an agreement with the union. "This is a civilised country and I think
people have been trying to sympathise with the government over ASUU strike. "'But with such pronouncement, I do not think that it is the right way that the Federal Government should handle this
matter,'' he added. Another parent, Mrs Joy Amadi,
said that it was a shame that the
state of affairs of the country's tertiary education
sector was being handled in such a
manner. "We are not in the military era; this is
democracy and any agreement
entered into by the Federal Government, be it
with anybody or association, must be kept. "Issuing threat is not the option but with mutual understanding of both parties and patience, there will be peace and harmony in the sector,'' she said. Mr Dele Oluwadayo, also a parent, said that the strike had dragged on for too long, adding that parents and students
were fed up with the industrial action. "I think that the Federal Government and the Pro-Chancellors are doing the right thing by calling for the re-opening of the universities. "But I want to say that the
Federal government should not be hard on the
lecturers. "I think ASUU is fighting for a good cause
but they should also be considerate,'' he said.
However, a student, Mohammed Aliyu, urged ASUU to abide by the Federal Government's directive. "It is better for ASUU to work with the Federal Government's terms and reference; we are tired of the strike,'' he said. Another student, Priscilla Ekoma, said that the Federal Government's directive
was not in order. "Although it is not that I am
happy that we are on strike, but it is very, very wrong
for the Federal Government to order ASUU to resume work just like that. "ASUU is making a case for all the universities in the country and an agreement should be reached, the crisis cannot be resolved via intimidation or threat,'' Ekoma said. NAN reports that all efforts to get the reaction of the ASUU National President,Dr Nasir Fagge, as at the time of filing
this report proved abortive, as he did not
pick the reporter's calls. (NAN)
Be sure to visit www.vicwapblog.com for more tutorials.
