With just four days to the nation’s Presidential election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday expressed concern over speculations of likely handing over of power to the military by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The former President said this in his Abeokuta home, when wife of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajia Aisha Bubari, and the Southwest women leaders and spouses APC governors visited him.
Obasanjo noted that aside the fact that military rule is no longer fashionable as it is unconstitutional, the Intentional community, he added, would also not condone it, particularly African Union (AU) where it has been agreed that any government brought about not on the basis of the constitution should not stand.
According to him, a military coup anywhere on African soil would neither be accepted nor tolerated by the AU member countries until such government is “dismantled.”
He warned that the whole world is watching Nigeria in respect of the forthcoming general elections, saying as the largest country in Africa, Nigeria should be a model to others and also set good examples for the continent.
The former President urged Nigeria not to draw the rest of African countries backward, lamenting the campaign of hate and division being engaged by those seeking elective offices.
He also charged women to take active part in the redemptive mission for Nigeria, adding; “I am happy to hear directly from you, Mrs. Buhari that the campaign so far has gone very well. May be I should say one or two things about the campaign- I do hope that this week’s elections, and the one coming in a couple of weeks after that, should provide the right lessons to learn from.
“Unfortunately, issues that should have been the main item of our campaign were not discussed. We have serious issues of security, economy, unemployment, youth unemployment infrastructure etc. These are issues among others that I believe campaign of those who are interested in the present and the future of this country should be directed at.
“How are we going to get them, what are we going to do, not trivial issues of certificate, no certificate, not trivial issues of when somebody is talking about someone and whether one is a Nigerian and not.
“This is what they had in Cote d’Ivore that led them into almost a very serious problem, not issue of religion, tribe, not issue of section but issues of unity of this country and the hate campaign that we have embarked upon now, I hope this will be the last time in the history of this country that we will have this type of campaign of hatred or division.
“I think the emphasis should be on what unite us, not what divide us and when I look at the faces of you ladies here, it is very difficult for me to know. I think we should emphasise on things that unite us, we should talk more on what will make this country not a just country but a great country.
“And that is the challenge before Nigerians today and particularly before those who are aspiring either at the state level or at the national level, how can this country be made great country, God has given us all we need.
“And I want to thank you because you women you have a role to play, and I mean that, when things are going wrong, if women don’t act, things will continue to go wrong because you have ability to act, the men who invariably make things to go wrong are your fathers, your husbands, your sons, you sons-in-laws.
“With your husbands, you can have pillow talk but when things are going wrong and you do not talk or act, you will also be the greatest victim at the end of the day because it will have effect on your children and would have a direct effect on you and all of us.
“I do hope we will get things right. A lot of rumours are flying around, I think we have gone away from the rumour of Interim Government because that is not in our constitution, I hope we will soon go away from the rumour of handing over to the military because the military is not meant to run affairs of a nation in terms of running government.
“And the Intentional community will not condone it, particularly African Union where we have a situation, we have said and it is part and parcel of the constituting act of the African Union, any government that is brought about not on the basis of the constitution will not be accepted and tolerated and will not be a member of the AU until that government is dismantled.
“We have the goodwill of many people, I watched, last night, President Obama talking about our constitution, I watched out brother from Ghana the current Chairman of ECOWAS talked about our constitution, they are all interested, they all wish us well, should we wish ourselves anything less?”
Earlier, Mrs. Buhari lauded the former President for being a true nationalist, adding that Obasanjo often traversed party lines and primordial sentiments while addressing issues affecting the country.
She said, “Baba exercises his prowess as a father, as a former head of state of Nigeria twice, very few Nigerias have the opportunity to rule the country twice, we are here today to show our appreciation the way you handle things as a statesman and a nationalist.”
The Nation.
|
