Chief Obasanjo
While speaking in an address read on his behalf by former Osun
State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola at the National Summit on Insecurity
and killings in Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday
attacked President Muhmmadu Buhari again over the spate of killings in
the country.
The elder statesman who did not offer solutions to the killings, said the government had been “giving one unrighteous and unacceptable justification after the other.”
Obasanjo who spoke at the event organised by the Northern Elders
Forum, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Pan Niger Delta Forum in Abuja,
said: “The obvious indication is that the government is seemingly
confused and has got to the end of its tether and the nation is being
left divisively and perilously to drift.
“Earlier last week, I noted in a speech some undesirable
elements being allowed and being introduced to our democracy by this
Administration. If these are not stopped, they could be the death knell
of our democracy.
“People are not ready to give up in despair and leave their
fate and their present and future in the hands of inept leadership for
their lives to be ruined. I see common concern across the nation
irrespective of tribe, religion, language and social standing that the
situation should be retrieved and the nation should be saved,” he stated.
Oyinlola who read a prepared letter from Obasanjo to a Co-Convener
of the Summit and Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Professor
Ango Abdullahi said that the former President was Chin.
The letter read, “When Yinka Odumakin conveyed your message to
me concerning this meeting initiated from your end to dialogue on
immediate and pressing issues of interest to all of us as Nigerians, I
called you on telephone to tender my unreserved apologies for my
inability to be personally present which would have been my desire but
for a long-standing appointment in China which coincides in time with
this meeting. You were kind enough to agree that I should send somebody
to represent me, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola will stand in for me.
“When you kindly paid me a visit a couple of weeks ago, we
deliberated on the danger to our democracy, our common identity, our
commonality of purpose. Our dream and our unity in diversity. We
lamented the harm that the present Administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari, by his action and inaction, has done and is doing to our
commonwealth and our common heritage.
“Nigeria in recent times, has not been so divided along
religious and regional lines as at today with inexcusable killings and
devastating poverty and with Government’s wringing hands and apparently
incompetent to stem the tide except giving one unrighteous and
unacceptable justification after the order. The obvious indication is
that the Government is seemingly confused and has got to the end of its
tether and the nation is being left decisively and perilously to drift.
“Earlier last week, I noted in a speech some undesirable
elements being allowed and being introduced to our democracy by this
Administration. If these are not stopped, they could be the death knell
of our democracy.
“In spite of these unfortunate Situations created by the
Government, my contact and consultation, which brought me face- to –
face with people alights and frustration, also gave me hope. People are
not ready to give up in despair and leave their fate and their present
and future in the hands of debt leadership for their lives to be ruined.
I see common concern acres “we nation irrespective of tribe religion
region language and soot: tending that the situation should be retrieved
and the nation should be saved.
” My dear brother and friend, Ango, this is why I strongly,
believe in this meeting which is beyond politics, beyond religion beyond
economics, beyond status, is for saving the heart and soul of our
nation through nonpartisan and all-embracing participation to dialogue
for our present and our future. Because we do not dialogue enough, most
of us live in ignorance of one another, burdened and influenced by
received prejudices, biases and twisted history.
The time has come when we should constantly dialogue among
ourselves at different levels to inform, educate and enlighten ourselves
and dispel bad influences. A lot of misgivings, misunderstanding,
misperception, misrepresentation, erroneous beliefs and outdated ideas
and concepts can be cleared and a lot can be achieved.
“This “Dialogues Amongst Ourselves”, which are starting today,
must not be a once-and-for-all affair. We must dialogue often for our
collective progress. And I have no doubt that this first one will be a
huge success. We are in dialogue because we are concerned for our
country. I will hold myself ready to lead the holding and hosting of the
next one at our end after due consultation with you and with others.
Dialogue removes tensions, clears the air, leads to sharing
views and to understanding one another’s point of View. It promotes
concord, harmony, cohesion, peace, security, inclusiveness, development
and progress. It enthrones justice and equity and removes impunity.
”I wish you a very successful Dialogue and meeting. I am with
you in spirit. Let us march on and forward in dialogue and progress.”