A leading anti-corruption and transparency group, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy, (VATLAD), has said that former Nigerian President, Olusengu Obasanjo who accused President Muhammadu Buhari of poor performance in government in areas of poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed, among others is morally bankrupt to advise President Buhari not to seek a second term in office.
Reacting to Mr. Obasanjo’s special letter to Mr. Buhari which is still generating mixed reactions across the country, VATLAD in a statement signed by its National President, Emmanuel Odafe Igbini, made available to Journalists, stated that “While we agree with former President Obasanjo’s poor performance verdict on President Buhari we however strongly disagree with his call on President Buhari not to seek a second term come 2019 based on this. President Obasanjo is morally bankrupt to advise President Buhari not to seek a second term in office.”
According to the group, “We want to remind President Obasanjo that despite his abysmal performance during his first term in office (1999 –2003) he not only admitted same but insisted that this is the reason Nigerians must give him a second term to correct such abysmal performance. He was given. It is also this same President Obasanjo who deliberately abused his official office to attempt to impose himself on Nigerians for an unconstitutional third term but for the collective refusal of Nigerians.
“In terms of insecurity, it was during President Obasanjo’s first term that a serving Attorney General and Minster of Justice of Nigeria (Chief Bola Ige, SAN) was gruesomely assassinated in what was believed to be politically motivated but President Obasanjo deliberately refused to direct investigation into this assassination and to bring the criminals to Justice. What can be worse than this?
“In terms of Nepotism, it is a fact that while President Obasanjo promptly directed the relocation of headquarters of Nigerian Maritime Authority from Abuja to Lagos State, the same President Obasanjo refused to order the relocation of the headquarters of the multinational oil companies from Lagos to the oil producing States of the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
“The same President Obasanjo refused to comply with section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution which provides for 13% derivation to the oil producing States until the governors of the affected States protested. The same President Obasanjo refused to sign the NDDC Bill into Law but for the National Assembly that vetoed it and passed it into law.
“In areas of war on Corruption, while President Obasanjo set out to ride Nigeria of high level corruption and looting in public offices, his 8 years as President ended up being more entrenched in corruption. His multi-billion naira Presidential library is a project alleged to be corruptly financed from public funds.
“Having said these few, we seek to renew our consistent advice to President Buhari that he needs to urgently carry out total overhaul of executive team and his political appointees as many of them do not believe in his vision and mission for Nigeria. He must immediately form of team of national government made up only of Nigerians with proven integrity and more importantly, proven patriotism, irrespective of the political parties they belong.
“We restate that this poor performance of Federal Government of Nigeria since May 29, 2015 should be squarely blamed on these current members of the National Assembly who failed and refused to carry out their constitutional functions without fear or favour.
“It is imperative to remind Nigerians that by provision of section 4 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, the legislature is to make law for peace, order and good government and has power to compel the executive organ of government and Nigerians to obey such laws.” the statement added.
