Obasanjo, Abacha And All These Dirty Testimonials. (Which One Pass)
In the last few weeks with pain I have watched the media ride on the ecstasy of one man’s misconduct both in and out of office, on official and personal matters. I cannot claim to have wept for the nation because those tears arguably may be a waste of ‘cry’. While I am studying the last eight years under Obasanjo I have equally decided to draw comparison with that of late Despot, Gen. Sani Abacha.
On the Abacha years I have spoken with political and economic analyst, foreign experts, I have read commentaries; I have tried to see beyond Abacha’s dark goggles. While many may say it is too early to scrutinize the Obj years, matter of factly is that the years between 1999 and 2007 are already examining itself.
With each passing day he Aremus of Owu, the most handsome man to have graced Aso Rock is leaving dirt of all sorts at every turn, in the wake of his departure.
From the reforming of his reforms, to the cancellation of his second hand sales of our national pride, like the refineries, Steel Companies, NITEL ...the list is endless. The Obasanjo years are gradually becoming one of one month, one skeleton.
Interestingly history has a funny way of repeating itself, between Abacha and Obj was a liking for the forbidden fruit, while one liked them young and Indian, the ‘subject’ to concrete proof like them ‘closer home’..
These are times I wish that Gen Sani Abacha, the man the cap fits was alive. He wanted the cap so badly, he lost it, and like him Obj wanted a third cap called third term, he lost too. There are times I ask, what if Abacha had not died, what if third term had succeeded? But thankfully both plans failed and the question is how we have learned from the collapse of both dreams.
We have the consolation that the worst democracy is better than the best military rule, but every day I question that. Obj called Abacha a thief, IBB has come short of calling Obj a thief, of the IBB loot, Abacha treasures, Obj farms which one of them is the biggest crook.
I believe that these men governed us, raped our collective sensibilities, but sadly we did nothing. I recall Obasanjo and his promises in 1998, to bring back the years, make the refineries work, make our hospitals work; make our schools what they used to be. But he did the very opposite, we were naïve in thinking that anything good could come out of the man.
The very things we fought Abacha for, Obj did, human rights abuse, state looting, both men had anti-corruption fights. Abacha had Vision 2010, Obasanjo had 2020. Although Abacha stayed at home he took his loot out, Obj took his loot out, kept some in blind shares. Obj was the constitution, the law, the court, and the verdict.
Secretary General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCI), Dr. Lateef Adegbite, described the eight years of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration as a disaster and one that was not favorable to Nigerians.
“The eight-year rule of Obasanjo was a disaster. It was unfavourable to the masses and the masses did not benefit anything. It was eight years of failure. Only a few elite benefitted”.
Olu Falae a Presidential candidate in 1999 believes it was a litany of woes.
National Chairman of the Democratic Peoples' Party, Gen Jeremiah Useni called the Obasanjo administration, a waste of eight years; he castigated the administration as one that lacked direction and purpose. He said that he could not understand how the same man that preached the rule of law continually violated same and had no regard for the constitution.
Gen Useni stated that it was unfortunate that Obasanjo threw away the opportunity to salvage the nation.
Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, a Governor and tout in Ibadan and his predecessor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja agrees that the eight-year rule of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be probed.
Obasanjo unilaterally withdrew N1 trillion from NNPC and Federation Account without appropriation or National Assembly to do. He later fired Alhaji Hamman Tukur, RMAFC Chariman who questioned him. He fired the then Senior officer in Auditor-General Office for making attempt to audit NNPC and oil ministry files.
Over $1 billion was spent on the rehabilitation of our nation's refineries. The rehabilitation failed. Kaduna refinery was sold for $106 million whereas Obasanjo spent $200 million to rehabilitate it.
The NITEL sale…The highest bidder is American company BFIG with bid of $410 million dollar but Obasanjo gave it to the second bidder with $205 million. Even when Russian Russel Firm could not get loan to secure the sale, Obasanjo approached First Bank Of Nigeria Plc and mandated it to lend to the Russian Firm. Obasanjo knew that no American firm will give "kick-back" easily. He preferred Russian because Russians are as corrupt as Nigerians.
Obasanjo spent N10 billion on poverty alleviation during his regime. We saw poverty rather than decrease; it increased. From PAP, to NAPEP, Obj and his cohorts fleeced the nation. He bought 200 million shares in Transcorp and got Nicon Hilton Hotel, and some national assets sold to the same Transcorp. The missing N87 billion at NPA when he put his stealing partner Olabode George at the helms of affairs at NPA.
What did he do with N100 million he collected from Dariye of Plateau? Where did he keep the money? What became of the whole PTDF stealing?
Every week now, we discover money missing like peanuts falling out of a bag, and no one takes notice, today it is cassava fund, the next day, palm oil fund. From radio license to television rights, our nation is sold on a political patronage permit.
These is just a tip, one imagines how much of this nation’s monies are stolen, from the local councilor, to the man in the Presidency, the fact I want us to examine is that no matter the person, either Yar’Adua, or Abacha, Shagari or IBB we are the end recipients of their maladministration or astute governance. This essay is not about comparison as such but the fact that we have not had leaders.
The Abacha and Obasanjo years are no good to this nation, it is better summed up as wasted years, mildly put, we may have tried but we could have done better. The resume of our leaders, the testimonials they leave behind is bad taste, a constipating mixture of pop corn, rice, yam and biscuits, all eaten as a complete meal. Almighty Allah save us!
Prince Charles Dickson
Assistant Editor/ Jos Bureau Head
Leadership Newspapers Group
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