Former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Aliamieyeseigha, has taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, describing him as a mischievous character.
He argued that Obasanjo’s recent controversial letter to Jonathan was laced with bias, hatred and sentiment, stressing that the former President was dressing himself with the robe of ‘Mr.-Know-it-all’.
Aliamieyeseigha was Governor of Bayelsa State from 1999 to 2005 when the state House of Assembly under the speakership of Peremobowei Ebebi impeached him in controversial circumstances believed to have been orchestrated by Obasanjo then as President.
In the said letter Obasanjo accused the President of promoting not only corruption and cronyism but also encouraging dividing the country along religious and tribal lines.
Aliamieyeseigha, who spoke on the controversial letter during a chat with newsmen in Yenagoa at the weekend, insisted that Obasanjo was mischievous in his intent of writing it to the President.
“In my objective opinion I will say President Jonathan and his aides should look at it and make a proper analysis of the content.
“But my grouse with the entire scenario is that the approach to writing the letter to President Jonathan is very mischievous and there is clear bias and sentiments in the circumstance which has caused it to generate some controversy,” he said.
He was confident that the brouhaha generated by Obasanjo’s letter would not affect Jonathan’s fortunes in the 2015 elections because the former military Head of State was not a personification of Nigeria.
According to him, it was preposterous for Obasanjo to slam Jonathan with a catalogue of allegations bordering on governance and security because the former President, despite spending eight years in office, could not also adequately address the issues he raised in his letter.
Aliamieyeseigha recalled that Obasanjo was a very autocratic ruler contrary to the democratic posture he was arrogating to himself today.
On the allegation that Jonathan was training snipers ahead of the 2015 elections, Aliamieyeseigha asked Obasanjo to compare the number of prominent persons that were killed during his tenure and how many had been killed under the present political dispensation.
“At least, as a former Governor, I will say that I have encountered Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
“The Obasanjo I know, when he was the President of this country, had displayed all the things he is alleging against Jonathan even more than any other leader in this country.
“There is no issue he has raised in his letter that he did not do when he was at the head of government in this country.
“That is why am insisting that Chief Obasanjo is mischievous in his intent of writing the letter to Goodluck and leaking it to the press.
“Chief Obasanjo’s character is that if it is not him it should be nobody else. He is ‘Mr Know all’.
“He will call you for a meeting to come and brainstorm to proffer solutions to a problem. He will tell you about the problem and proffer solution without giving you room to make any contribution to what he invited you to. That is his character.
“Obasanjo is not Nigeria. He alone can not tell the citizens what to do. Remember he lost 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 can not significantly affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan. It is God who gives power. If God so desire that Jonathan 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,” Aliamieyeseigha said.
He added: “Today he (Obasanjo) is talking about Goodluck Jonathan training snipers or whatever he calls it and having a watch list.
“How many high profile persons have been killed during Goodluck Jonathan’s time compared to the long list of great men who were killed during his time as President of the country?
“Has he forgotten about Bola Ige, what happened to Marshall Harry, Dikibo, Funsho Williams? I can go on and on. Who had the sharp shooters that killed all these prominent Nigerians and what has been the outcome of their investigations?
“If I may ask again, what is the rationale behind Chief Obasanjo copying two former military rulers and T.Y Danjuma in his letter? I’m sure his reference to Dr. Ekweme is only an after thought.
“It surprises me that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the one insinuating about the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015.
“To be precise, on 18th of August 2005, then President Obasanjo called me into his inner office and asked me why I was supporting his Vice, Atiku Abubakar.
“He offered to give me whatever I would have benefited supporting Atiku. He told me that if I don’t work for him (Obasanjo) it’s possible he will give to it my deputy.
“He had explained to me that he is not the oldest President in Africa and that he wants to continue for an extended tenure in office.
“He told me not to support a bloody civilian like Atiku Abubakar and that I should work with him to actualise his ambition. Today, he is denying everywhere that he never wanted a third term in office.
“Am also very surprised that Chief Obasanjo is talking about drift in governance and development. Since 1999 after Chief Obasanjo assumed office he was only globe trotting. It was Atiku that was running the country.
“Nothing had happened. Obasanjo did not achieve anything as a President during his first tenure in the name of laundering the image of the country,” Aliamieyeseigha added.
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