Former Senate president Ebute condemns Obasanjo’s letter to Buhari

Former Senate President, Ameh Ebute has joined many Nigerians who have condemned the bashing of the present administration by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his letter.

The former Senate president in a letter addressed to Chief Obasanjo titled: “Re: The Way Out: A Clarion Call For Coalition For Nigeria Movement”, lampooned him for resorting to letter writing to his predecessors rather than seeking audience with them saying such action was a smack of mischief.

The former Senator told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that he had cautioned Obasanjo when he wrote former President Jonathan in a similar letter that it was not in the interest of the unity and peace of the nation as it is an affront on decency and decorous behaviour by publicly attempting to ridicule, malign and assault the seat of power with a repeat letter to President Buhari.

“In the current instance too, you have reeled out a torrent of subsisting problems and perceived deficiencies of the Buhari Presidency very hypocritically and in utmost contempt for the office and personality of President Buhari. It is all in veiled pursuit of your secret agenda for the absolute ruination and destruction of Nigeria, a foundation faultily laid by you between 1999 and 2007, when you served as President of the country”.

Senator Ebute maintained that the new found love of the former President was rather exacerbating series of national problems which he (Obasanjo) failed to tackle in his 8 years reign.

“The issues of poverty, insecurity, poor economic management as trumpeted in your letter have existed with Nigeria and aggravated under your reign as President. Precisely, poverty, hunger and disease are cardinal components of the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs), which you claim to be spearheading efforts in the guise of “Zero Hunger” initiative; but gave no attention to it when you wielded power at Aso Rock. This is the pretence and deception that have become your trademark and uprooted or alienated you from Nigerians.

“No one is surprised that you disparaged President Buhari’s efforts in curbing the monster of corruption and insurgency, which flourished under your administration and became untameable, with the reserved commendation by declaring that “it is not yet uhuru!” You display the lack of capacity to wholeheartedly appreciate the efforts of other leaders. Rather you preferred to flaunt the African spread of your Presidential Library, which Nigerians have severally and collectively accused you of corruptly funding it.

“It is quite funny the failure to acknowledge that the EFCC under Buhari has unprecedentedly recovered looted public funds in assets and cash, trillions of naira never before known to the history of Nigeria’s anti-graft war. Today, you frequently accuse your former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as very corrupt, but could recover and publish any kobo you recovered from him back to national treasury. The foundation for the dubious sale of national public assets like NITEL, PHCN etc was laid by you”.

The former Senate President chided Obasanjo for imposing on Nigeria leaders who could not tackle Boko Haram head on knowing that the seed of the insurgency was sown under his watch.

“The seeds of Boko Haram insurgency was sown under your administration in Borno and exploded, soon after you were forced to relinquish power after the failure of the infamous third term bid. The subsequent leaders you imposed on Nigeria could not handle the problem, until President Buhari came on board. As clever and astute as you claim in leadership, you had no solution to the puzzle of militancy in the Niger Delta or the communal clashes that plagued most communities in Nigeria”.

He urged Obasanjo to be retrospective in his view adding that no other person would have done better what President Buhari has done considering the state he inherited the nation.

“No former President of Nigeria who knows the poor state of the economy President Buhari inherited in May 2015, would not appreciate the efforts and measures adopted in revamping the economy”, the read noted.

Doosuur Iwambe – Abuja