Why Obasanjo Should Leave Jonathan Alone

The Ex-Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diep-reye Alamieseigha, yesterday spoke on Obasanjo's controversial letter to President Jonathan saying the former President Olusegun Obasanjo should allow President Goodluck Jonathan freely run his administration without interference.

Speaking in Yenagoa, he said though Obasanjo deserves Jonathan’s respect, the president needs the support and encouragement of all Nigerians to run the country successfully.
He said, “No man is infallible, there is no man on this earth that knows everything about governance. Even if  you have tested power severally, one is still bound to make mistakes. Governance is a very complex thing. The office of president if you are not careful only those who want to tell you what you want to hear will have access to you. I cannot say the content of the letter is entirely rubbish as a Nigerian’’.
“You should know that President Jonathan must step on some toes for him to achieve success in the reforms he is embarking upon. He has done certain things that only courageous people can do. The pains for the ultimate realisation of the Nigerian dream can only last for a while’’.
“We must concede that at least Jonathan has achieved some great feats. But those things that he has not done well, he should be encouraged and advised in the right way and with good intention and not staying outside to command him as if the president is your subject that you can just sit anywhere to control. Leadership is like a relay race, Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to run his race’’, Alamieyesieya maintained.
Meanwhile Alamieyesieya does not agree that Obasanjo’s letter is capable of truncating the ambition of Jonathan for a second term, insisting than Nigeria is bigger than Obasanjo.
“Obasanjo is not Nigeria, he alone cannot tell the citizens what to do. Remember he lost an election in his own village. That is how unpopular he is, even up till today or tomorrow. But Nigerians still voted for him. His disposition cannot significantly affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan.
“Its God who gives power, if God so desires that Jonathan should continue in office then his aspiration will come to fruition. Jonathan has done much more than any other president has done. Let us support and encourage him instead of trying to pull him down by whipping up sentiments’’, Alamieyeseigha said.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/54987.html

Obasanjo's Touching Tribute To Nelson Mandela

Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has described the late Nelson Mandela as a man who raised the beacon of human struggle to lofty heights of nobility.

Obasanjo, who addressed journalists in his home in Abeokuta on Friday, said Mandela’s life was an example of what people should all aspire for.
“In all situations, he lived nobly and died in nobility. Let us bear in mind that we all have the opportunity to act nobly in whatever position we find ourselves,” he added.
He described Mandela’s death as a monumental loss to all human races and called on all to emulate the life and times of the great leader.
“His demise is a loss to his family who will miss a caring patriarch; the people of South Africa who will miss a guide, Africa who will miss a role model and the world who will miss a leader.
“When we teach our children lessons for tomorrow, let us remember lessons Mandela gave the world in forgiveness and forbearance,’’ Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo, who eulogising Mandela, recalled the times when he was voted to become South-Africa’s post-apartheid president.
“During the first non-racial democratic elections in 1994, I was on election observation assignment in South Africa and was there for his campaign and when he cast his vote.
“He was devoid of bitterness or anger against anybody except the hated apartheid system.
“He went on to win the election and more importantly led South Africa to the extent that the country was able to cast aside its apartheid legacy and take its place in comity of nations.
“Certain that his task was completed, Mandela modestly refused to seek re-election after his first term in office as his presidency elapsed.
“I still recall his pragmatic words when he said to me ‘Olu, show me a place in the world where a man of 80 years is running the affairs of his country.
“This, to me, reflects an unequalled sense of modesty for a man who spent 27 of the prime years of his life in prison for a just cause.
“Yet he still kept a calm and peaceful disposition to those who took away his freedom for all those years of his life,’’ he explained.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/53791.html

Yar’Adua Was Poisoned By Obasanjo's Kitchen Staff! — Professor Ukandi G. Damachi

Nigeria's Former President Ibrahim Babangida long term confidant Professor Ukandi G. Damachi had allegedlly told the United states council that former president Yar'Adua was poisoned by Ex President Obasanjo's Kitchen staff.
According to Wiki leaks Professor Ukandi G. Damachi who is a friend to the US consul, He told them in secrecy about the alleged poisoning.

Professor Ukandi G. Damachi is a friend to US consul, long term confidant to Nigeria’s past president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida with privy to Nigeria’s government workings inside information.
The Wikileaks cable, reference ID 08LAGOS153, described in Professor Damachi’s narration, that late president Yar’Adua was given poison in his food, “his food was poisoned”, he alleged. Further stating that the president inherited his predecessor, president Obasanjo’s kitchen, and these kitchen staff were likely used to poison Nigeria’s president. The professor further revealed that when president Yar’Adua realized this he fired the Obasanjo kitchen staff.
He Said: “There are lots of problems in Nigeria.” The first problem, he said, is the President’s illness; “his food was poisoned”, Damachi alleged. Asked whether he meant “food poisoning” or that someone had deliberately poisoned the President’s food, Damachi shrugged, replying “The President inherited Obasanjo’s kitchen staff”; Yar’Adua has now fired them all, and the kitchen has been cleaned out following the incident, Damachi said.At the same time, Damachi went on, the President did attend functions on both the Saturday and Sunday preceding his illness and ate some food at both of them. “What President eats at a function?”, Damachi asked rhetorically. The President was so sick that the day he signed the budget, he was unable to sign a second piece of legislation awaiting his approval…”
Late Yar’Adua Yar’Adua was known to have stepped hard on his predecessors toes. Upon entering office president Yar’Adua, described by his wife as a very honest man who left no wealth behind; seriously went after the reversal of Nigeria’s public assets that his predecessor had sold to his allies, Aliku Dangote and Femi Otedola.
“In the weeks leading up to Obasanjo’s departure, Dangote’s privately held company has also scooped up a cement plant, a telecoms licence and mining concessions in a rush of privatisations that has triggered accusations of cronyism by opposition parties.”
By July of 2007, barely 2 months into office, Yar’Adua had held meetings with Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), to querry the sale of Nigeria’s refineries to Obasanjo’s henchmen, Aliku Dangote and tycoon Otedola. BPE reportedly justified the sale to Bluestar, saying it was transparent, but the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) faulted it, and maintained that the corporation was capable of running them efficiently.
President Yar’Adua “after considering the facts presented to him, the President directed that the sale should be revoked as the exercise was not transparent enough. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) praised President Yar’Adua for the revocation of the privatization of the refineries.” Dangote And former president Obasanjo Dangote And former president Obasanjo President Yar’Adua, determined to recover Nigeria’s infrastructure and assets coveted by Obasanjo and his cronies, moved on to other government assets.
Yar’Adua also suffered from chronic allergic disorder and this was easily attributed to be the direct cause of his death.
The possibility of the poisoning to death of a Nigerian serving head of State will amount to a grievous crime. The exhumation of late President Yar’Adua’s body may be necessitated as well as a thorough investigation of ll who may have been involved in the murder of a president in office.
Late Palestinian premier, Yasser Arafat was recently exhumed due to evidence of polonium poisoning as an investigation into alleged Israeli intelligence poisoning was reopened.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/52475.html