2019: I am not neutral, Buhari not the best for Nigeria  — Obasanjo

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that he would not be neutral or sit on the fence over the situation in the country, saying that only a fool would sit on the fence or be neutral when his or her country is being destroyed by lack of focus, incompetency, corruption among others.

Obasanjo said these in a statement signed by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, while reacting to a news report credited to a government-owned news agency where he was quoted to have expressed his neutrality in the coming election.

Obasanjo also warned against any form of manipulation about his stance on the 2019 presidential election, insisting that the running of the nation’s affairs by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was not the best for Nigerians.

He described the news item as disingenuous and malicious, reaffirming his position not to sit on the fence as far as good governance is concerned.

According to the statement, “It is disingenuous, if not malicious, for anyone to suggest that Chief Obasanjo was being neutral when he chose not to use the Owu Convention as a platform for a political campaign but instead adopted a communal and familiar approach in talking to members of his Owu family.

“For the records, and as accurately reported by some media organisations, what the former president said at the convention in Iwo was that while he would not impress any candidate on them, Nigerians should vote for credible candidates who will drive growth and development and make their lives better than it is now.

“Chief Obasanjo’s statement did not suggest his neutrality. In fact, the former president believes that only a fool will sit on the fence or be neutral when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption, lack of focus, insecurity, nepotism, brazen impunity and denial of the obvious. Chief Obasanjo is no such fool nor is he so unwise.

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“The former president reassures Nigerians that he will not sit on the fence when he needs to be out and active for people to know where he stands in the best interest of Nigeria.

“Chief Obasanjo reaffirms that he is on the side of what is best for Nigeria and what we have currently and as the affairs of Nigeria are being run is not the best for Nigeria, so nobody should fool himself or deceive others about Chief Obasanjo’s position.

“The former president further urges Nigerians who are victims of what we have for now to stop just complaining and go out to get beneficial change. They must know that such change will not come if they remain inactive just complaining and complacent and they allow themselves to be deceived by sycophants and enemies of Nigeria.

“If they do not become active and get a much-needed change of the current administration to a government that will improve the economy, regain the confidence of investors and generally drive growth, development and economic progress with security, what is coming will be much worse than what Nigerians currently suffer.

“On his part, Chief Obasanjo will remain consistent in speaking out whenever and wherever he sees evil as he is known to do no matter whose ox is gored. Nobody should manipulate Chief Obasanjo’s position, particularly on the 2019 presidential election and what he said in Iwo to perpetrate or perpetuate continued destruction of our country.”

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said in the course of its presidential campaigns, Nigerians would be told what former president Olusegun Obasanjo said about the character of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

This is just as the party said it was determined to interrogate the former vice-president and PDP presidential candidate on his stewardship as vice-president under former president Obasanjo.

The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, served in that capacity between 1999 and 2007.

National publicity secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, made the disclosure at the weekend in Abuja during an interview with newsmen.

The APC spokesperson said: “When we go out for campaigns, we will be doing two things because this campaign for APC is about two issues, the character of persons who have come forward to say they want to rule us. We are going to bring character into focus.

“He (Obasanjo) told us he found him to be a very unreliable person, somebody that is not trustworthy. That he found him to be somebody who compromises the system for personal gain. And we have evidence to that and we must bring that to focus.

“We must continue to thank Obasanjo for being so patriotic to have alerted the country to the danger inherent in bringing somebody like former vice-president Atiku close to Nigeria’s assets and resources.”

Isa-Onilu also told newsmen that the ruling party would showcase the achievements of President Buhari to convince Nigerians why he deserved a fresh mandate, as against other aspirants whom he claimed have nothing to offer the electorate.

The APC spokesperson further revealed that the ruling party would soon unveil its presidential campaign team while dismissing insinuation of intrigues and power tussle over its composition.

“Well, we don’t have any problem at all and we are very okay. There are many other platforms to engage with people. Rally is just one,” he said

Nigerian Tribune gathered that former Lagos State governor and national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, dropped the hint last Tuesday that Alhaji Atiku’s records as vice-president under former president Obasanjo would be at the front burner ahead of February elections.

Tinubu disclosed this at the national consultative forum of the APC organised by the National Committee of the Buhari Support Groups (NCBSG) in Abuja.

The former Lagos State governor insisted that the PDP presidential candidate must be prepared to explain to the electorate what happened, who got what and how the privatisation of the nation’s public assets was handled while the latter superintend.

Tinubu derided the entire process as personalisation of national assets.