12th January, 2011
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appears determined to foist his selfish political agenda on Ogun State regardless of the rules and civilised norms. Events in the last two weeks tend to suggest that OBJ is perfecting his inordinate ambition to preside over the affairs of Ogun State in the next dispensation by manipulating the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, OBJ is riding roughshod over the Ogun State Executive Committee of the party in a desperate bid to hijack and manipulate the primaries in favour of his stooge, General Adetunji Olurin (retd), former military governor of old Oyo State and Sole Administrator of Ekiti State following Obasanjo’s controversial proclamation of state of emergency as president.
The undemocratic tendency that characterised the thoughts and actions of Obasanjo’s Presidency which led the PDP into prolonged crises in the wake of the primaries in several states, notably Rivers, Imo, Sokoto, Ekiti and Oyo states where imposition of candidates affected the fortune of the PDP appears to have taken a more worrisome dimension in Ogun state. With the primaries of the PDP fast approaching, OBJ has constituted himself into a parallel state Executive Committee with a handful of renegade factional leaders. Blurred by inordinate ambition to rule Ogun state by proxy, the former president has reduced himself to a factional leader of his party in spite of his status as the BOT Chairman of the PDP and regardless of his widely acclaimed pedestal of African statesman. As should be expected, Obasanjo’s blind ambition to subjugate democracy in Ogun State has no bearing on altruism. In a desperate bid to foist OBJ political dynasty on Ogun State, Obasanjo has found a willing ally in the person of General Olurin (retd) who would only end up a victim of selfish political permutation with Iyabo as unwilling Deputy Governor. By the time OBJ’s inordinate ambition comes full circle, Olurin would be forced to abdicate office for Iyabo, the authentic Governor-in-waiting.
Indeed, OBJ’s democratic credentials as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remain largely questionable in view of his unenviable records as chief manipulator and supplanter of constitutionalism and rule of law. It should therefore not be strange that OBJ is again at his old tricks; descending into the abyss as the unspeakable ring leader of an orchestrated ambush against civilised and democratic process within the PDP in Ogun State. As the evil agenda spearheaded by OBJ continues to unfold in Ogun State, what is becoming crystal clear is that the re-enactment of the plot against popular decisions of PDP membership in Imo, Rivers and Sokoto states in 2007 portends grave danger for the fortune of the PDP in Ogun State.
It is evident is that Obasanjo’s desperation against popular democratic wishes of the people have had undesirable anaemic consequences on constitutionalism and rule of law in Nigeria and should therefore not be forgotten in a hurry! Nigerians cannot forget so soon how OBJ’s futile attempt as Civilian President to manipulate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the sole aim of railroading the country into his infamous “Third Term Agendaâ€. Indeed, it took the courage and the resilience of notable voices in the civil society and the National Assembly as well as popular condemnation from home and abroad to lay the ignoble ghost of third term to rest. It is therefore a matter of undeniable historic fact that constitutionalism and rule of law witnessed semblance of decency in the days of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Sadly, OBJ appears to be back in the reckoning; hovering around the country with the confidence of primitive conquistador. Indeed, OBJ is not to blame for the failure of Nigeria’s political class to learn and for the predilection to always forget not to tread the path of mutual peril! Indeed! But how much laissez-faire and freedom would Nigerians allow this man this time around? Only time would tell!
Although President Yar’Adua did his best to enhance constitutionalism and rule of law before his incapacitation and eventual death, the initial calculation of OBJ was to install a weakling as successor in the bid  to remain relevant and  to continually perpetuate anti-democratic agenda. There is no denying the fact that Obasanjo preference for the medically-unfit, weak and unwilling Yar’Adua as successor was against the popular yearning of the PDP; particularly the people of the North. Obasanjo opted for Yar’Adua hoping that late President would gratify him with limitless liberty to perpetuate rule of force and undemocratic manoeuvrings as the BOT Chairman of the PDP which he assumed by arm-twisting late President Yar’Adua. The open and much publicised denigration of his chosen successor who was at the critical juncture of unsuccessful battle against terminal illness not only demonstrate the characteristic mindless style for which OBJ is reputed but a confirmation of his disappointment and frustration in late President Yar’Adua.
Unfortunately, OBJ appears to be having his way; exploiting the collective amnesia of the political class and the credulity of the masses. Basking in the euphoria of ‘moral arguments’ which makes Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition legitimate in spite of the validity of PDP zoning arrangement, OBJ is perfecting a devilish game that would enable him arrogate powers as the BOT Chairman of the PDP. Unknown to Nigerians, the so-called Executive bill that sought to amend the Electoral Act in favour of party caucuses in relation to party nomination is the handiwork of OBJ; the Ebora of Owu (Yoruba’s mythological description of a foreboding; menacingly dreadful ghost). Nigerians and indeed PDP members should be glad that the Senate did the correct thing by rejecting the bill wholesale, regardless of whatever may be considered relevant therein. Alas! OBJ and NOT President Jonathan would have emerged the chief beneficiary of that bill whose intents and purposes were to create grand hiccups in Nigeria’s democratic journey. The bill is indeed self-serving package meant for the dustbin like the third term poison branded by OBJ. The bill was meant to service OBJ’s domineering antics over and above civilised norms and rules of the PDP with the forthcoming PDP primaries in focus.
OBJ’s profile in contemptuous machinations against democracy is intriguing and would be necessary to document for posterity. OBJ presided over a most disgusting ambush of democratic process in his native Owu community when he pounced on the Secretary of Abeokuta North Local Government; seized and tore the record of proceedings for the selection of an Oba-elect for Owu to the bewilderment of local chiefs who were clearly at the mercy of a rampaging Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces. It must be borne in mind that OBJ’s open disdain for democracy in Owu was the climax of repeated pledge by the then President of Nigeria to fellow king-makers to abide by popular democratic decision of the king-makers on the pretext that he would not want to be openly associated with the selection of new Olowu of Owu giving his status as Nigeria’s president and leading world leader. When it turned out that Chief (Engr.) Olutayo Fadairo was returned as Olowu-elect with popular votes of 7 against OBJ’s only vote, the former President seized and tore the paper containing the results. The other 7 kingmakers were left with pieces of the paper as evidence of the outcome of the electoral process rudely disrupted and manacled by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Nevertheless, OBJ had his way by arm-twisting Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and the Local Government authority to install his candidate Prince Dosunmu, as the Olowu of Owu.
With this ‘brilliant’ undemocratic showing at this local community, OBJ would leave nothing to chance in his bid to make voodoo of democratic process across Nigeria. The Ahmadu Ali-led PDP was to witness more of the over-bearing antics of OBJ as the 2007 elections approached. The entire PDP machinery was seized by OBJ in a most uncharitable desperation to impose cronies across Nigeria. A few examples would suffice to buttress the fact. In Rivers State, he waged ceaseless battle against the Governorship ambition of the incumbent Governor Rotimi Amaechi. OBJ guillotined the primaries that produced Ameachi as PDP Governorship candidate and had his name substituted with Celestian Omehia; a newly acquired stooge of the imperial OBJ. As fate would have it, Amaechi regained the popular mandate of the PDP in Rivers State through a Supreme Court Judgement, that is more or less locus classicus, without having to stand the rigour of electioneering campaigns for the 2007 elections.
In Imo State, Senator Ararume who lent his voice against the third-term agenda of OBJ at the Senate also had his selection as PDP Governorship candidate rubbished by OBJ. Unlike Amaechi, it turned out that Ararume would wait in vain, without judicial or and probably divine respite (at least up till the moment) from OBJ’s evil antics. The incumbent Governor of Ondo State is probably on seat today only because OBJ acted a bit late. If OBJ had his way, as the then President told a PDP rally in Ondo State in 2007, Governor Olusegun Mimiko would have been on trial by the EFCC on some trump–up charges that was the peculiar ordeals of politicians who fell out of OBJ’s favour in his days as President.
The ongoing perfidies in Ogun State PDP is seen as part of Obasanjo’s final move to fully assume the coveted status of the undisputed godfather of President Jonathan. OBJ’s plan to supplant President Jonathan which is already on the fast lane, with Ogun State being central in rallying other governors that would perpetually put President Jonathan on his toes for OBJ’s overbearing control in the coming dispensation. The former President’s preference for General Adetunji Olurin as the next governor of Ogun State and with Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (Obasanjo’s daughter) as deputy governor is to ensure that the emerging Governors’ Forum in the new dispensation is within OBJ’s reach. OBJ’s calculation is to mount pressure on President Jonathan and the PDP to have his stooges installed in at least 15 states through manipulation of the PDP primaries. If this plan succeeds, OBJ would be more than comfortable in whittling-down the power of the President in the new dispensation; using the Governors’ Forum as launch-pad in addition to his grip on the PDP as BOT Chairman.
Nigeria is again at the mercy of OBJ! With unusual knack for undemocratic bullying, President Jonathan would need more than native intelligence to brace-up to the challenge of contending with the familiar antics of OBJ who has done Nigeria’s democratic process enough harm in the recent past.
— Kokumo Adamolekun
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