OBJ:A DELUDED PATRIOT

The ideal elder statesman rarely has cause to criticize a government or leader in public.Certain standards are expected of men of such calibre who can get audience with anyone they desire to voice out their concerns or grievances talk more one who is a politician.
General Olusegun Obasanjo Rtd has always been a statesman by virtue of having governed us twice.Politics or no politics.

He has made a go at every Government since he handed over to Shehu Shagari in 1979 with the exception of three.Two short lived ones: Ernest Shonekan's which lasted just 82 days, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar's which released and eventually handed over power to him and of course his as democratically elected President.Nobody can attribute his feud with the Jonathan Government to old age.Baba has always been Baba.
Judging by the strength of his criticisms and the enthusiasm with which they are carried out, people would jump over themselves to vote for this 'genuine' patriot if one problem didn't exist-Obasanjo has ruled us twice and score sheets do exist.

Lets take GEJ's weakest points-Insecurity and Corruption.I have always said it will be hard to win the war against Boko Haram alone.We need additional troops and arms from allies willing to help.These we have gotten but from unexpected sources.America cited human rights abuses by the Nigerian Military as its reason for refusing to sell arms to us.Nothing changed even after staking our reputation to abstain from voting in the Security Council Vote for a Palestine state to save it the embarrassment of using its Veto vote.As far as the Human rights abuses ground goes,a detailed Memo containing reasons just might refer to Obasanjo's Odi and Zaki Biam massacre; an unprecedented annihilation history will never forget.OBJ didn't end the Niger-Delta Militancy that plagued us during his reign,Yar'adua did in a most praiseworthy manner.And on insecurity, we saw how he tackled issues of a far lesser magnitude.
I agree all the way with Gen Gowon when he described Obasanjo's criticism of the war against Boko Haram as highly irresponsible.
OBJ can go on as many elaborate blabbing sprees as he wants about foreign reserves, economic indices, GDP and what not but learned as I may be,I am no different from the common man in one regard; all these don't add up right to me if kids didn't get quality education in the best environments, masses quality health care at the right rates or there was a reduction in our unemployment rate,Increased number of motorable roads,Steady water and power supply.And talking about Power supply,This is a man who squandered trillions of taxpayers money in the name of Improving power supply.The multi-billion naira embezzlement allegations labeled against Chief Tony Anennih; his then Minister of Works and 'Mr Fix it' were never looked into.
We didn't just get here overnight.People like Obasanjo while wallowing in their self-inflicted 'Selective amnesia', let that fact slide easily.He played a key role.
Governor Sule Lamido referred to him as a father and it makes you want to take his allegation of GEJ trying to perpetuate himself in power seriously.If that is the case, then he will fail just like his father.

How Obasanjo forgot about his failed 3rd term agenda before making those accusations still beats me.Clearly he isn't bothered about Moral rights because he appears to just want to talk and only God knows why.He had his chance to change the system and he didn't.
By tearing his PDP membership card in public, he also tore away his elder statesman status because clearly he lost all respect.There couldn't be a more despicable exit.
On the flip side, it could just turn out to be a blessing.A time for sober reflection and repentance.A time to study how the real statesmen act; how the Shehu Shagaris, Abdulsalam Abubakars, IBBs, Alex Ekwuemes, Yakubu Gowons behave.They never stoop so low as to fight with their kids.Men who have never given us any 'Hollywood' tales about Presidents training snipers without concrete proof.Men who understand how embarrassing it would be to be labelled a threat to National Security or to be invited by the SSS for Questioning .I doubt if he would have tolerated all the President has if they were to switch roles.

A father should know his place.

POSTPONEMENT:WHEN WERE WE LAST SAFE?

A couple of days ago, an INEC Commisioner, Amina Zachary said elections could be postponed if PVC collection hadn't improved by February 8th 2015.That was the only ground a lot of us envisaged would be cited if ever they were postponed to a later date.But we witnessed a dramatic turn in the few days preceding INEC's postponement of the first round of  Elections to March 2008.From the NSA's letter advising it to shift due to security challenges to the Nigerian Army stating that Security won't be provided if Elections do hold on February 14th.
As a well meaning Nigerian with no political affiliations,I am  privileged to still have my objectivity and rationality intact at the risk of sounding immodest.Security quite frankly,shouldn't have been our problem at the moment.Reason being elections in the troubled states of the North East should never have been contemplated in the first place.
A lot of people put undue pressure on the INEC Chairman when he hinted elections might not hold in those states.We had APC faithfuls who thought it would be unfair to them; all three at that time being their states on one hand and a President very eager to prove to the World, to borrow his popular phrase-'He had things under control'.The INEC Chairman succumbed to pressure and had some handy mumbo jumbo about liasing always with Security chiefs to support his position. I ask-From that moment till the postponement, did anyone actually think the areas were safe?.
Even before the Military cited a major operation to restore normalcy as its reason for not guaranteeing security,we all knew it wasn't.The obvious truth is we would be making our brothers and sisters over there sitting ducks in long queues across hundreds of polling centres.It is baseless to suggest an ulterior motive on the part of the President.His reputation before the outside world is in shambles.

Never have personalities as eminent as the likes of John Kerry and Hilary Clinton made a go at our corrupt system in one fell swoop until the kidnap of the Chibok School Girls afforded them that opportunity.His self-esteem was so battered, his NSA reportedly refused an offer to help just prior to the AU's deployment of 8,750 troops to help combat the Boko Haram insurgency.
If ever anyone needs a scape goat,it has to be Prof. Attahiru Jega.The thing with scape goats is they don't necessarily perpetrate the real or perceived wrong but they just happen to be unlucky to be in the best position to take all the blame.We all as concerned citizens have been observing happenings in the North East.I have seen figures of outstanding PVCs but i am yet to lay my hands on the number of PVCs disbursed in the affected states and it makes  you doubt INEC's Integrity.There can't possibly be an effective disbursement in those parts.This ought to have necessitated a move as drastic as cancelling elections there or everywhere till it was safe to do so long before now.It didn't have to be a week before.Now we are faced with a problem capable of unnecessarily heating up the polity.Declaring the troubled states unsafe maybe 5 or 6 months ago would have prevented all the confusion surrounding us now.
His critics and that of the President would bite as hard as they could but there is no running away from the truth.Maybe we would have gotten concrete foreign help like a lot of us had been advocating for and not just help in surveillance and monitoring our negotiations with the insurgents.
We are in an era where Asari Dokubo and company are threatening to wage war if Jonathan loses and opposition supporters have stoned the President on some of his campaign trips and even burnt some of his campaign vehicles.These are very trying times for all security agencies.

Either way,there is a high chance of post-election violence and with Boko Haram trying really hard to own the North East (for now at least),it is important they set their priorities straight.The Military has promised to conclude a major operation against the insurgents in the next six weeks and only then would it be able to render its traditional support to the police and other agencies during elections.At this stage one can't help but hope things go well.The reinforcements from our African brothers make that very possible but we have had so many false hopes as far this war is concerned,we are scared of setting our expectations high.If God forbid,things don't change substantially in the next six weeks, i am afraid the best possible option open to us would be to exclude the troubled states.I don't see any other way.They were never safe and we have deceived ourselves for too long.
Political parties and critics of government can rant all they want but the truth remains we were never safe enough to conduct General Elections all across the country.

A GENERAL'S MISFIRE

I refuse to buy any of the excuses being peddled around by General Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to justify his refusal to participate in the presidential debate.For a candidate who is campaigning on the 'Man of Integrity' card, It is preposterous to suggest bias in the composition of a debate panel or the partisan nature of its organizers as grounds for backing out.
For a man who has successfully built arguably the best 'Mr Capable' reputation in this nation's political stratosphere, it is unacceptable.What questions is he scared of?
Political Debates should be a welcome fora for any candidate and not something to run away from.They offer not only a great opportunity to win new converts for your cause but also to reassure existing ones they have made the right choice.Candidates use it to further elucidate on their plans for the people and clear the air on controversial issues.
Frankly,if anyone should be running away from a debate,it should be President Jonathan.
He would have a tough time justifying the colossal sum spent on the fight against the Boko Haram Insurgency, giving cogent reasons why his government couldn't prevent any of the numerous strikes, why power is still unstable and his seeming high tolerance for corruption.The heat would most definitely be on GEJ.A dismissal showing would hurt his chances more than it would those of any other candidate.
On the other hand, GMB has little or nothing to lose.Like a friend put it-A lot of people out there wouldn't ordinarily vote for Buhari but he happens to be the best option available to a 'fed-up' populace who yearn for change because they deserve better than what is on ground at the moment.I have taken time out to study the reasons adduced by GMB's team for his declination and honestly, they don't make sense to me.
The panelists and organizers whom were labelled 'Pro-PDP' would not be handing any prizes at the end of the exercise.Even if Jonathan is only asked questions about his clothes and hats, it shouldn't bother Gen Buhari.The tougher the questions for GMB,the more golden the opportunity to endear himself to the electorate.A well-meaning and capable candidate prepared to serve the people shouldn't shy away from any debate except of course there are skeletons in his closet.
I don't want to believe neither GMB nor any of the eggheads around him has given this due thought.There couldn't be a better opportunity or medium to clarify certain issues which asides age,seem to be the only chinks in his armor.Issues like his perception by some as a bigot.One who has been alleged to have publicly affirmed his support for the total implementation of the Islamic Sharia law in all parts of the country.There are also allegations of PTF projects favouring the North more during his reign at the helm of the body and also his imprisonment of Alex Ekwueme,Sam Mbakwe and even the highly revered Chief Obafemi Awolowo while Shehu Shagari,his fellow northerner whom the coup ousted was placed under house arrest.I would have loved to hear him answer questions about his alleged intolerance for free press during his time as Head of State.Also, his promise to abolish the office of First lady didn't sit too well with many.Technically, there would still be an Operative First lady if his wife has said she would be doing some charity work and receiving  guests.The main essence of the office if you ask me.No doubt she would also have to attend any First ladies Summit if they do win so what is the point of scrapping the office?.Either way,we have a First lady whose activities will be funded by tax payers' money; Constitutional or not.Perhaps he would have enlightened us some more.
As expected,the PDP has seized the opportunity to score a point by saying the President is willing to debate anywhere and at any given time.With little or no effort, GMB has been portrayed as being scared.In the coming days,I wouldn't be surprised to see someone remind us of his refusal to appear before the Oputa panel and perhaps carve out a 'worrisome' pattern.
The General's refusal to participate can be likened to a student who refused to take his exams simply because he heard the teachers were going to make it difficult.A biased or tainted panel in my humble opinion,can never form a concrete basis for backing out of a debate.A man aspiring to govern arguably the most critical people ever known to mankind should be able to confidently answer any question thrown at him; favourable or not.Truth be told, asides difference in time alloted to candidates to answer questions,there is hardly any other thing worth complaining about and in this regard,I don't see how anyone can afford to allot more time to a particular candidate in a telecast beamed live to every home in this country.
Buhari and his handlers might not trust the PDP.A lot of people actually don't but one can't help but wonder:Was this a good move?.