Barely 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan’s reply to an earlier letter written to him by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, the nation’s security agencies have concluded arrangements to “interview” the former leader, for him to “explain details” of some of the allegations he made in the letter.
LEADERSHIP gathered that but for the absence of the former leader from the country, an inter-departmental team of the nation’s security apparatus was on the verge of visiting Obasanjo in Abeokuta or at his farm in Otta, Ogun State on the mission, which a source called “routine”.
It was also gathered that even though President Jonathan had in his response to the former president’s letter given indications that relevant security agencies would probe some of the allegations in the December 2, 2013 letter sent to him, the move to investigate had indeed been concluded before the president’s letter that was released to the press Sunday night.
According to the source, the inter-departmental security team has in it representatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Police.
Regardless of the arrangement, the source said it was not meant to be an invitation, as such could be misinterpreted as government’s moving against those with dissenting voices.
“The best the security agencies can do under this circumstance is to interview the former president for us to be given the opportunity to know from him what the nation’s security community did not know before now.
“You ought to know that security apparatus does not work like politicians; anywhere and whenever politicians have problems, security agencies tend to steer clear, because they know how they settle their differences.
“But in this case, certain issues have been unravelled in form of allegations in the said letter, which in the thinking of those in the best position, requires that further information be sought from the former president.
“But the only thing is that he has to be given first charge respect as a former president of the country; it is either the team visits him in Abeokuta or in his Otta farm or anywhere he deems necessary, in order for him to explain details to the team,” he said.
He further said, “This is very important and needs not to be politicised, because some of the issues border on the nation’s security and security of individuals who are players in the polity.”
Obasanjo, had in his letter sent to President Jonathan, alleged that he was training a killer squad to watch over 1,000 perceived political opponents.
Part of the letter had read: “Allegation of keeping over 1000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria.
“Here again, there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them.
“And no one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone.
The Yoruba adage says, ‘The man with whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit.’ Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies.
Democratic politics admits and is permissive of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lesson.”
When contacted the special adviser to the president on political matters, Ahmed Gulak said, “Whether or not the security agencies have set up a team to either have audience with the former president or not remains within the purview of the security agencies.
Only the office of the NSA or any other relevant security official can answer that question because it is not a political matter but a security one.
“Besides, you have read the president’s reply; he made it clear that the security agencies will probe; so take it like that.”
SSS keeps mum
When LEADERSHIP contacted the spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, through calls and text messages, there was no reply as at press time.
The text message reads: “Good evening Ma, kindly confirm the information that the SSS is to quiz former President Olusegun Obasanjo in connection with his letter to President Jonathan. We need the confirmation for a balanced report. Prompt reply will be appreciated, Ma. Thank you.”
I won’t take up issues with Jonathan - Obasanjo
Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said he would not reply to the letter by President Goodluck Jonathan, which accused him of setting the stage for subversion in the nation.
Addressing a press conference in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo explained that he had “tremendous respect” for the office of the president and would not wish to make further comments.
The ex-president said this against the backdrop of Jonathan’s reply to his 18-page letter on December 2, 2013.
Jonathan had, in his response on Sunday titled Re: Before It Is Too Late said he decided to respond in writing because Obasanjo’s letter was clearly a threat to national security and that it may deliberately or inadvertently set the stage for subversion.
The president also alleged that his predecessor’s letter was meant to instigate members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against him, as well as incite Nigerians from other geopolitical zones against him.
He further refuted the allegation that he was training snipers to assassinate about 1,000 people who had been placed under watch, adding that he had already directed security agencies and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate Obasanjo’s allegations and make their findings public.
Speaking yesterday through his media aide, Tunde Oladunjoye, former president Obasanjo acknowledged receipt of Jonathan’s letter.
Oladunjoye, who was the state PDP deputy governorship candidate in the 2011 general elections, recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oladunjoye stated that he was under instruction from Obasanjo to formally address the press conference in response to “several requests from local and international media”, but he said the former president did not wish to make further comments beyond the contents of his last letter to Jonathan.
“Since the publication of the letter written by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, which was in response to the letter earlier written by revered former president, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, we have received several requests from local and international media asking to know Chief Obasanjo’s reaction to Mr. President’s response.
“One, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, acknowledges Mr. President’s letter/response. However, Baba, as he already indicated in his December 2, 2013 letter, does not wish to make further comments beyond the contents of his last letter to the Mr. President, or react to the said letter/response from Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Let me quote from page fourteen, paragraph two of Chief Obasanjo’s letter to Mr. President dated December 2, 2013 and titled “Before It Is Too Late:
“‘I will maintain my serenity, because by this letter I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to your government, to the party, PDP, and to our country, Nigeria.’
“Two, let me reiterate here, that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR has tremendous respect for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Oladunjoye said.
He expressed appreciation to journalists who, he said, “have been very upright, ethical and robust on the subject matter.”
The face-off between Obasanjo and Jonathan heightened following the 18-page letter by the ex-president, who accused his successor of pursuing “selfish personal and political interests” at the nation’s detriment.
In the letter, Obasanjo also alleged that the president had failed to deliver on his promises to Nigerians, as well as curb insurgency and corruption in the country.
He claimed that Jonathan had placed more than 1,000 Nigerians on a political watch list, adding that the president had succeeded in destroying the PDP and polarising Nigeria along regional and religious lines.
But Jonathan debunked the claims by the former president, describing the letter as a threat to national security.
The president pointed out that since he started his political career as a deputy governor, he had never been associated with any form of political violence.
Buhari To Jonathan: Your govt is lawless
In a related development, former military head of state and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has described the federal government under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan as a lawless government.
This was as he also said the APC would do everything constitutionally possible to ensure that the country did not only witness a credible election in 2015, but also would ensure that Nigerians were delivered democratically.
Buhari spoke yesterday at a rally jointly organised by the Rivers State chapter of the APC and a pressure group, the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) in Port Harcourt.
The was attended by the interim national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Lagos State, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu and former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, among others.
He said, “We are in an extremely difficult situation where the government of the day is lawless. It is very clear to us and the international community, that executive governors are the chief security officers of their states.
“A lot of you here were not born when our leaders saw that the fundamental thing is one Nigeria, in spite of our differences, ethnic and religious.
We found ourselves as one people. Our country has tremendous resources and talented people. We the people have managed to organise ourselves, so that we can run this country.
“APC is about securing and efficiently managing Nigeria. I want you to believe and participate fully, because governance is there for you.
We in this party will do everything possible constitutionally, to make sure that 2015 election is credible. We are going to deliver our country democratically come 2015. No matter how negatively other people think, Nigeria will survive.”
Buhari described the Rivers State governor and chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, as a courageous leader who had the support of the APC and majority of Nigerians, despite the attacks on him by the present government.
In his speech, Amaechi said he was the first person on the ‘black list’ of the Jonathan-led administration hinted at by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in his recent letter to the president, pointing out that the reason for the rally was to remind Nigerians that the federal government was standing on impunity.
Amaechi said, “They replied former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter and asked him to prove the list in the letter. I am Number One on that list.
They want to kill me as if there is no God, but the God I worship will protect me.
“The reason for the rally today is to remind Nigerians that the current federal government is carrying on with impunity. We are being molested by the police, they are paying thugs to shoot dynamite, to shoot guns against (sic) innocent citizens.”
Also speaking, interim national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande commended members of the House of Representatives who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the party, for their courage in carrying on, in spite of the threat to declare their seats vacant.
In his goodwill message, chieftain of the party and former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described Amaechi as an eagle, considering his courage, achievements and determination to save Rivers State from evil-minded individuals.
I didn’t visit Obasanjo with APC leaders - Senator Effiong
Meanwhile, miffed by media reports that he was at the meeting of the APC leaders with the former president, Senator Bob Effiong has said he could not have been in Abeokuta, because he belongs to the PDP.
Effiong was among those reported to have been in the delegation of APC leaders to the former president’s residence on Saturday.
But in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by his special assistant on media, Ernest Udokang, Effiong said the report was misleading.
The statement read in part: “The attention of Senator Effiong Bob, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Benin, has been drawn to publications in certain newspapers and online social media that he was in the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation that visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday December 21, 2013
“Nothing could be farther from the truth. Senator Bob, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party, has never declared for nor indicated any intention to be a member of APC or any other political party.
It therefore amounts to gross mischief for anybody to imagine that he was in the delegation that went to lobby the former President to join the party when he is not even a member of the party.
“Senator Bob, who joined the PDP from inception, was recently elected Chairman of the PDP Caucus of the Senators Forum.
“On the day in question, Senator Bob was not even within the vicinity of the venue of the meeting with Obasanjo. He was in Abuja with his family and friends.
It is still unexplainable how and where the information that he was a part of the APC delegation emanated. ”
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