…claims former VP buried 3rd Term Agenda out of Patriotism
By Olawale Lamina
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, on Monday, admonished former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to purge himself of unforgiveness and vindictiveness against the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar in order to have a glorious and happy passage.
Chief Eze reactions came on the sidelines of former president Obasanjo’s recent statement that he regretted settling for Atiku Abubakar as Vice President in 1999.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had stated this at a recent event in Lagos, to unveil musician and activist, Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, ‘999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa,’ He stated this when asked one mistake he made while he was in office as President.
Eze referenced the former president’s response that reads: “Mistake when I was in government? The man I picked as my running mate, my number two — if I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him”.
Eze, presently a Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC expressed a surprise as to why a statesman and father-,figure sage like Obasanjo would continue to harbour what he described as “ill feelings, bear grudges and make scathing remarks against Atiku.”
In a statement made available to journalists, Eze attributed Obasanjo’s hatred and bad blood against Atiku to the latter’s vehement opposition to the 3rd term agenda.
Eze, formerly the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) alleged by stating that “Obasanjo is not a Christian and coupled with the fact that he is not a Muslim either, it has become absolutely if not possibly difficult for him to have a forgiving heart.”
Piqued by the development, Eze, an ally of former VP Atiku Abubakar expressed anger by saying, “I read the disgusting statement credited to elder statesman and former President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo that his biggest mistake in his life was making Atiku his Deputy.
“In every election year for almost 20 years now, Obasanjo has continued to regret making Atiku his deputy as if he is God who gives power.
“Is Obasanjo really a Christian? Is he a Muslim? Certainly no. I think he is an embodiment of vengeance, wickedness, mischief and an unforgiving heart.
“You came out from the prison, God spared your life, and you became President. Rather than thank God for saving your life from the hands of the military junta, you have continued to be angry with yourself because you were stopped from actualising your inglorious 3rd term agenda.
Eze, who will not spare anything to demonstrate his loyalty to Atiku criticized former President Obasanjo further by stating that, “At your age, you should be at peace with yourself and seek the face of God Almighty for the forgiveness of sins you committed while in office as President, and not to be vindictive, and be dropping Atiku’s name everywhere you go.
Eze seized the occasion to advise Obasanjo to leave Atiku alone to enable him and Amaechi to concentrate on how to oust the current administration led by Bola Tinubu and how to rescue Nigeria from her present state.
Chief Eze, who was the former National Director, Media and Publicity, Turaki Vanguard, recalled how he once advised VP Atiku not to support Obasanjo’s election in 1999, “due to his deft political maneuvering to sit tight in office as President.”
Eze said: “All the nonsense Obasanjo is saying today is because our Principal did not heed my advice not to support OBJ’s presidential re-election ambition in 1999.
Eze added by claiming Obasanjo had forgotten that if not for Atiku’s support, there was no way he (Obasanjo) could have become the President of Nigeria in 1999.
According to Eze, who said he had lived in Yola, Adamawa state for over 30 years, and was a key loyalist and member of the Atiku political dynasty, “Our Principal also refused to listen to the PDP Governors’ position that they would not support Obasanjo the second time.
Eze traced Atiku’s support for Obasanjo while recalling that:
“If not for patriotism, Atiku wouldn’t have supported Obasanjo to become President. Ordinarily, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme was being considered as the candidate of the PDP during the party’s Jos convention but at last, that was not to be.”
As the PDP National convention drew closer, Eze recalled approaching Atiku on his position.
“I sent a text to Atiku telling him that I am aware of his plans to relocate to Kaduna to determine who becomes the President of Nigeria.
“I warned him not to support Obasanjo to the detriment of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who at that period was the fellow behind the birth of PDP and led the G-5 that forced the Military junta out of leadership of Nigeria in 1998.
“But true to his patriotic nature, Atiku in his reply, explained to me that the focus of Nigeria at that period was how to appease the Yorubas on the death of Chief MKO Abiola, who convincingly won the presidential election and died while in custody of General Sani Abacha.
And, Eze also recollected how Obasanjo was a broke and spent force when he was freed from the Yola Prison in Adamawa state, pointing out that when he was approached by PDP bigwigs to join the 1999 Presidential race, “Obasanjo asked if he had forgotten any thing at the State House”.
Again, Eze stated that, “Atiku, who was almost regarded as lord of Nigeria’s politics at that time, prevailed on Obasanjo, and provided all the logistics he needed for campaign, both during the PDP primaries and election proper and also paid for the PDP National Secretariat.
The media mogul disclosed by claiming that, based on Atiku’s political sagacity and clout, Obasanjo had to beg him to become the Vice President, threatening that he would not contest unless Atiku joined him in the PDP presidential team ticket.
According to Eze, Obasanjo did not understand the political dynamics at the period, after been released prison.
He said: Therefore, “As the second in command in Late General Shehu Yaradua People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), a massive national political network that was the main political camp before the 1999 presidential election, Atiku donated the structure to Obasanjo.
Similarly, Eze went ahead to recount the Olu Falae’s challenge at the time he was to contest against Obasanjo.
“Obasanjo was not in any position to defeat Chief Olu Falae, who contested the 1999 presidential election as the joint candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All People’s Party (APP), without the help of Atiku.
“If we may recall, Chief Falae was a seasoned bureaucrat, a former Secretary to the Federal Government under Military President Ibrahim Babangida, and former National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“He understood administration better than Obasanjo but Atiku mobilized funds and everything humanly possible to ensure that PDP won that election,” Eze revealed.
Eze did not also spare a moment to comment on what he regarded as former VP Atiku’s political mistake despite his sagacity. He noted that, “Sadly the beneficiary of that struggle is here today castigating the man who made him the President of Nigeria. Honestly, I am sad over what Atiku has suffered in the hands of Obasanjo.
Eze maintained that Atiku will continue to regret throughout his life for his mistake of helping to make Obasanjo the President of Nigeria.
“After the first tenure of Obasanjo, all the PDP Governors and party chieftains agreed that Atiku should take over the reins of governance but Atiku for reasons best known to him, refused bluntly to accept that position,” Eze said
Eze linked how the hyped third term ambition of former president Obasanjo became unrealized to what he alleged as “Atiku’s unpardonable sin is his manliness to champion the patriotic fight against Obasanjo’s infamous 3rd term agenda, which targeted a life presidency.
Eze said: “Through, Atiku’s political structure, the then Senate led by Senate President Ken Nnamani, Senate Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, and Senate Leader Ibrahim Dalhatu, saw reasons why the Constitutional amendment to pave way for a 3rd term for Obasanjo should fail.
“On May 16, 2006, the Senate rejected the proposed constitutional amendment that would have opened way for Obasanjo’s 3rd term Presidency.
“Since then, Obasanjo has sworn to go to his grave without forgiving Atiku, because of how the former Vice President scuttled the 3rd term agenda, not minding all that Atiku has done to elevate him to his present status in Nigeria.”
He also recalled all that transpired at a time when VP Atiku Abubarka was the chairman of National Economic Council and the progress recorded saying, “It is on record that Nigeria’s economy recorded positive growth during Atiku’s time as Chairman of the National Economic Council. Atiku stands out as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) from 1999 to 2007, a period adjudged to be Nigeria’s most viable economic boom period. It was a period Atiku assembled the best of brains that included Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai etc.
“Under Atiku’s watch, he managed the macroeconomic discussions with State Governors, leading the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), overseeing the privatization of state-owned enterprises like telecoms etc, driving early private-sector economic policies, debt relief, banking reforms, due process reforms, public enterprise reforms etc.
“Atiku led the Economic Management Team that paid off Nigeria’s debt. He privatised the telecom and cement industries, that exploded our GDP and created jobs.”
Eze, a media practitioner and political and public affairs commentator threw his weight behind the presidential ambition of the former VP’s joint ticket with Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi concluded that, “With Atiku contesting the 2027 with Amaechi as his Vice President, Tinubu is fully aware that his days as the President of Nigeria are numbered, so Obasanjo’s antics to frustrate this divine set-up will be an exercise in futility all things being equal no matter the odds.”
About The Author
