2015: What does Obasanjo really want? If we go by Nigerian political precedents, there is considerable reason to doubt that former president Olusegun Obasanjo will go against the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan if he chooses to contest in 2015. But about two weeks ago Obasanjo had a private one-on-one discussion with Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja in Ibadan, and about two weeks after, a split occurred in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at a convention that was not attended by Obasanjo, who is now sponsporing Ladoja as a new secretary for PDP. These two events suggest some linkages. If this information is true, it suggests some pre-meditated actions on the part of Obasanjo and strengthens the claims in2015: What does Obasanjo really want? By Eneoche Ocheme If we go by Nigerian political precedents, there is considerable reason to doubt that former president Olusegun Obasanjo will go against the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan if he chooses to contest in 2015. But about two weeks ago Obasanjo had a private one-on-one discussion with Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja in Ibadan, and about two weeks after, a split occurred in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at a convention that was not attended by Obasanjo, who is now sponsporing Ladoja as a new secretary for PDP. These two events suggest some linkages. If this information is true, it suggests some pre-meditated actions on the part of Obasanjo and strengthens the claims in some quarters that he started the fires that currently engulfs the PDP and should therefore be responsible for putting it out. But what does Obasanjo really want and how does the current disarray in the party characterize the political ideology that may be ascribed to him? To begin to answer this question, it must first be pointed out that the travails currently buffeting the political ship of the PDP, under the leadership of President Jonathan is not new. Obasanjo should actually be the last person to start or stoke such a fire because just before the 2003 re-election of Obasanjo, many swore that he would never be allowed to run for re-election. To support resistance to Obasanjo’s re-election bid in 2003, the then Senate president, Dr Pius Anyim, now Secretary to the Federal Government, SGF, who was brought in as a Senate president by Obasanjo, to replace the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo, stated that the PDP zoning scheme did not call for a second term for the President, this was a re-enforcement of an earlier report credited to Chief Sonny Okogwu, where the latter contended that there was a deal after Obasanjo’s nomination in Jos in 1999, in which he was supposed to be a ‘one term’ president. Compare this with the recent claims by Governor Aliyu of Niger State. Moreover, the robust resistance of the so-called G5 governors to President Jonathan today, can also be compared to the antagonism of some former governors like Achike Udenwa of Imo State (see Guardian newspaper August 20, 2002). In the same way, Governor Bafarawa, then governor of Sokoto State insisted that speaking on behalf of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, the North would not back Obasanjo for re-election. Similarly, then Governor Orji Kalu swore that Obasanjo will never be allowed to go for re-election at the expense of a candidate from the South East. All these occurred before the presidential nomination of the PDP in 2003. some quarters that he started the fires that currently engulfs the PDP and should therefore be responsible for putting it out. But what does Obasanjo really want and how does the current disarray in the party characterize the political ideology that may be ascribed to him? To begin to answer this question, it must first be pointed out that the travails currently buffeting the political ship of the PDP, under the leadership of President Jonathan is not new. Obasanjo should actually be the last person to start or stoke such a fire because just before the 2003 re-election of Obasanjo, many swore that he would never be allowed to run for re-election. To support resistance to Obasanjo’s re-election bid in 2003, the then Senate president, Dr Pius Anyim, now Secretary to the Federal Government, SGF, who was brought in as a Senate president by Obasanjo, to replace the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo, stated that the PDP zoning scheme did not call for a second term for the President, this was a re-enforcement of an earlier report credited to Chief Sonny Okogwu, where the latter contended that there was a deal after Obasanjo’s nomination in Jos in 1999, in which he was supposed to be a ‘one term’ president. Compare this with the recent claims by Governor Aliyu of Niger State. Moreover, the robust resistance of the so-called G5 governors to President Jonathan today, can also be compared to the antagonism of some former governors like Achike Udenwa of Imo State (see Guardian newspaper August 20, 2002). In the same way, Governor Bafarawa, then governor of Sokoto State insisted that speaking on behalf of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, the North would not back Obasanjo for re-election. Similarly, then Governor Orji Kalu swore that Obasanjo will never be allowed to go for re-election at the expense of a candidate from the South East. All these occurred before the presidential nomination of the PDP in 2003.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 22:27:16 +0000
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