Nigeria back to Abacha days-Obasanjo
AYODELE AJANI
Former Nigerian President , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Sunday came hard on President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration as Nigeria get set for next month’s election saying with the current happenings , the country is back to the inglorious era of Late Sani Abacha.
He particularly decried what he called “security deterioration” in the country.
Obasanjo , looking at the happenings within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), emphatically declared that Buhari was not ready to conduct free, fair and credible election.
Speaking with journalists at his residence located within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, Sunday, the former president noted that the country is back to the inglorious era of former president , Late General Sanni Abacha urging Nigerians to collectively rise up and resist the situation.
Obasanjo said Nigerians need to appreciate Buhari for what he has done, yet, “Nigeria deserves better at this point in time than what Buhari is capable of offering” the country.
Obasanjo alleged that President Buhari is perfecting plans to rig the forthcoming February 16 Presidential elections at all cost saying that is why the All Progressives Congress (APC) – led administration is scheming towards ensuring that the judiciary must be primed in its favour through the case of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen.
“It seems a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that will go before them. Where and how will all these stop?”
“But if that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, ….. then it speaks for the type of government we have, which means that the president is not in charge, let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted”.
He explained that INEC as presently constituted, cannot conduct free, fair and credible election with the commission as presently constituted.
Obasanjo listed ways through which he alleged that President Buhari intended to rig the forthcoming February and March general elections to include the “trader moni” which timing he said was suspicious.
“What is the connection between taking the number of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) of the recipient of N10, 000 doled out to the traders and the forthcoming general elections? “
“There is something sinister about it and Professor Osinbajo of all the people, should know that. With collusion of INEC officials and card readers not made available to work”.
“Amina Zakari has become too controversial a figure to be able to give assurance of free, fair and credible elections for INEC. Madam Amina Zakari should in honour, stay out and not be seen be seen as a source of contamination of the election”.
“The track record of the present INEC is fairly sordid and all men and women of goodwill and believers of democracy must be prepared for the worst form of INEC and their encouragers and how to get Nigeria out of of the electoral morass that the Commission is driving un into”.
Obasanjo however, called on all the world democrats to keep an eye on the unfolding “anti-democratic agenda” of President Buhari, stressing that others in the country should also be monitoring the unfolding events.
“The current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility. It is also planned that violence of unimaginable proportion will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate a re-run elections and where he will be returned duely elected after concentration of security officials as it happened in Osun state”.
“We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari”.
“This is the time for preventive measures to be taken, otherwise, Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with the impunity and total disregard of all pleas.
Emphasising that “another Abacha era is here”, Obasanjo further said that President Buhari is only putting into practice, lessons he had learnt from the late General, Abacha.
“Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time, and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived by the second time”.
“Buhari has intimidated and harass the private sector, attacked the National Assembly (NASS), and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the judiciary to cow them into submission”.
“At the height of Abacha’s desperation for perpetual power, he did not brook any criticism: you must go along with him or be destroyed. All institutions for ensuring security, welfare and well-being of Nigerians, particularly the police, the military and Department of State Security Service (DSSS) were abused and misused to deal with critics of Abacha and non-conformists”.
“The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, the Police and Code Of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bindings in manipulating election results”.
While calling on Nigerians to appreciate Buhari and allow him to depart for home in peace, Obasanjo however, declared that the Buhari led administration “has reached the end of its wit, particularly at the handling of security issues in the country.
The former president further asserted that the security situation across the country under the Buhari’s watch has deteriorated, particularly with Boko Haram insurgency becoming more in action that before.
“With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been”.
“Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of Dollars which each administration always denies”.
“This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation”.
