It is less than four weeks to the presidential election of February 16 where President Muhammadu Buhari is a prime contender. But former President Olusegun Obasanjo has words of caution for those who are rooting for Buhari : Do not vote for him; he has returned Nigeria to the Gen. Sani Abacha era. While warning that Buhari lacked the mental capacity to run the affairs of the country, he also doubted the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that could ensure free and fair elections.
Obasanjo alleged that even when figures, facts and statistics were made clear to Buhari, he kept repeating what is untrue, either because he could not understand or it was for mischief purposes “and that places him on the level of a pathological liar.” Obasanjo noted that a statement by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu in 2003 in which he (Tinubu) described Buhari as an agent of distabilisation, ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country, was prophetic.
The former president, in an open letter yesterday titled: “Point for Concern and Action,” said the Osun State election, which was conclusive was declared inclusive despite all advice to the contrary. He alleged that the Buhari’s refusal to sign the revised Electoral Reform Bill into law is to rig elections, adding that his followers are working with security agencies and election officials to perfect the plan of rigging.Obasanjo described the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, as a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that would go before them.
To him, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s claim that the presidency was not aware of the trial was not substantial. “If that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, the fifth man in the hierarchy of government, without the knowledge, let alone the approval of the president, then it speaks for the type of government we have, which means the president is not in charge let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted. We are all unsafe and insecure under such an administration.”He said Buhari deceived Nigerians to emerge as president, but the people would no longer be fooled to support his second term bid.
Obasanjo noted that Buba Galadima who knew Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which was Buhari’s party, had warned that the president could not change his character or attitude.
According to him, Buhari is putting into practice the things he learnt from the late former military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, by “attacking the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacking and intimidating the judiciary to cow them to submission.
“Today, another Abacha era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, 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 bidding in manipulating election results. Criticism, choice and being different are inherent trademark of democracy. If democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will automatically follow.”
He urged the international community to give more serious warning and send more people to the field to observe and work out punitive measures against INEC. He listed these measures to include the withdrawal of visas, freezing of bank accounts and prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC) of those who frustrate credible elections. Obasanjo also said it was disheartening that the vice president stoop low to be sharing N10, 000 in the name of TraderMoni. He described it as an idiotic programme, saying traders in rural and sub-urban areas of Nigeria were many more than those in urban areas and much poorer than traders in Lagos, Abuja and other cities.
The former president said: “They need more attention and greater help. Are they to be confined to the heap of perpetual poverty? What of those who are not traders? They are not entitled to hand-out and they can languish in penury? And what about millions who have lost their jobs in the last three and a half years? The timing is also suspect. Those who criticise the action are called evil but they are not evil as they know what they are doing and saying, and they love Nigeria and Nigerians not less than the likes of Osinbajo.
“What an act by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, number two man in the executive hierarchy; and what is more, a pastor of one of the Christian movements led by a revered, respected and upright church leader, Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Osinbajo must have gone for ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’. A great pity indeed and which makes people ask the questions.
“I personally have serious doubt about the present INEC’s integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election. And if the INEC is willing, will the ruling party and government allow it? From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary. The unnecessary rerun, if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the commission’s hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment.
“The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation and meddling. If the INEC’s favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a ‘rerun’, the result of which is known before it is carried out. I know that I am not alone in being skeptical about the integrity of INEC and its ability to act creditably and above board. But we are open to be convinced otherwise.
“The joke about INEC would seem real. The INEC was asked if it was ready for the election and if it expected the election to be free, fair and credible. The INEC man was reported to have said in response: ‘We are ready with everything including the results!’ God save Nigeria! It is up to Nigerians to ensure that the red line is not crossed in safeguarding our fledgling democracy. And if crossed, appropriate action must be taken not to allow our democracy to be derailed.
“A friend of mine who is more credulous and who claims to be close to the Chair of INEC keeps telling me that INEC will retrieve its image and reputation by conducting the coming elections with utmost integrity and impartiality. I am not sure as I believe more in action than in words and in past record than in promise. The track record of the present INEC is fairly sordid and all men and women of goodwill and believers in democracy must be prepared for the worst from INEC and their encouragers and how to get Nigeria out of the electoral morass into which the commission is driving us.
“To be forewarned is to be forearmed. A battle long forewarned does not embroil the cripple nor catch him unawares. A word is sufficient for the wise. The labour of Nigerian democracy heroes must not be in vain. Some men of God would hold President Buhari to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. I am a realist and I reiterate that I go by track record. Therefore, I am not persuaded by a track record of hollow words, impunity, insensitivity and ‘I-couldn’t-care- less’ attitude, or by the sanctimonious claims of any candidate and his campaign staff. I will only believe what I see.
Source: Guardian Newspaper.
