Buhari vs Obasanjo: Fight to the Finish!

[caption id="attachment_91897" align="alignright" width="750"] Obasanjo and Buhari[/caption] [caption id="attachment_91908" align="alignright" width="720"] The war continues on social media with Obasanjo's book mounted between two electric cable poles [/caption] In speech and body language, President Muhammadu Buhari is not keeping quiet any longer. He hits back at Olusegun Obasanjo who has penchant to attack all incumbent leaders. The latest war elicits mixed reactions from Nigerians By Ademola Adegbamigbe President Muhammadu Buhari and his image makers were in their best diplomatic behaviour early in January when a former Nigerian leader, Olusegun Obasanjo, blew his top like a suddenly reactivated volcano. He charged like an angry buffalo, saying that since Buhari’s government had not performed creditably, he had no reason to ask Nigerians for their votes again. Obasanjo’s letter that month dripped bile, acid and vitriol! Lai Mohammed, the Information Minister who has the reputation of not allowing a scud missile against his side to hit target without intercepting it mid-hair, surprised many book makers by his well couched reply to the retired Ota General. When the reply came, not a few Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief like a train that has hit its terminus platform after a long tortuous journey. At least, the nation was saved the agony of witnessing a public fight with the attendant shrieks of a Fulani and the grunts of an Owu chief. Lai Mohammed, uncharacteristically, said that the current government believes that Chief Obasanjo, because of his very busy schedule, might not have been fully availed of developments in the government’s efforts to revamp the economy, which was battered by the consequences of over-dependence on a commodity as well as unprecedented pillaging of the treasury. The information Minister, therefore went on to list the areas of Buhari’s superlative performance: agriculture, infrastructure, rail, anti-corruption crusade and others. Rather than calling Obasanjo an original ally of Beelzebub, the Information minister submitted that the Buhari government had no reason to believe that Obasanjo has any motive beyond the well-being of the nation in issuing his Special Press Statement. “We have also taken his admonition in good faith, and we thank him most sincerely for taking time off his busy schedule to pen such a long statement,” Mohammed concluded, thus deflating Obasanjo adrenalin. The polity shifted attention to other matters like Fulani herdsmen, Buhari’s visit to Donald Trump, Dino Melaye and the Inspector General of Police... Then, on 10 May, Obasanjo officially announced his Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM), seizing the opportunity to launch another verbal howitzer against Buhari. It was mouthful! In his words: “Let me particularly thank and congratulate millions of Nigerians who harkened to my clarion call in my statement of January 23, 2018 that our anger against misgovernance, poor performance, condonation of misconduct, incompetence, destabilising nepotism, cluelessness, denial and scapegoatism, lack of understanding of dynamics of internal politics which have led to greater disunity, inequity, injustice, senseless killings and destruction, must not be like the anger of the cripple but a positive anger coordinated and directed to put an end to the era of impotence and for Nigerians to join hands to seek effective solution through coalition, cooperation and togetherness that will take Nigeria to where God has created it to be.” Buhari who could not take it any longer threw his hat in the ring on Tuesday, 22 May 2018, when he received members of the Buhari Support Organisations (BSO), led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Buhari said that those who mismanaged Nigeria’s economy in the past, through fraudulent electricity projects and misuse of revenue earnings from oil, had no love for the country, adding that Nigerians should remain vigilant and ensure that only ‘‘people of conscience are in-charge of governance at all levels’’, as the nation prepares for general elections in 2019. In his words: ‘I challenge anybody to check from Europe, America and Asia; between 1999-2014, Nigeria was producing 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day at an average cost of 100 USD per barrel and it went up to 143 USD. When we came it collapsed to 37 – 38 USD and later was oscillating between 40 and 50 USD. I went to the CBN Governor, with my cap in my hand, and asked if we had savings. He told me we had only debts, no savings. Some of the roads were not repaired since the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days. I don’t care the opinion you have about Abacha but I agreed to work with him and we constructed roads from Abuja to Port Harcourt, Benin to Onitsha and so on. We also touched education and health institutions. One of the former Heads of State was bragging that he spent more than 15 billion USD on power in Nigeria. Where is the power?’’ the President asked. On the mismanagement of the economy by previous administrations, President Buhari noted that the perpetrators lacked imagination and plans for the development of the nation. ‘‘Sometimes, I wonder about those who can afford to send their children abroad for studies and yet continue to sabotage the economy, I wonder what kind of Nigeria they want their children to return to and work. There is a lot of lack of imagination. If you are working for the country, then you shouldn’t be misappropriating and misapplying public funds the way people did,’’ he said. Buhari went further by urging Nigerians to reject those bent on dividing the country along religious and ethnic lines, warning that they do not mean well for the country. ‘‘I have said severally that we do not have any other country than Nigeria and we will remain here and salvage it together. We have nothing to regret. Absolutely nothing. God has given Nigeria everything. We are rich in human and material resources. Let us keep on praying to God to put people of conscience in-charge at all levels,’’ he said. Also, Obasanjo replied without hesitation. His media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said on his behalf that it had come to the attention of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo that a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari, apparently without correct information and based on ignorance, suggested that $16 billion was wasted on power projects by “a former President”. Obasanjo believed that the President was re-echoing the unsubstantiated allegation against Chief Obasanjo by his own predecessor but one. In his word: “While it is doubtful that a President with proper understanding of the issue would utter such, it should be pointed out that records from the National Assembly had exculpated President Obasanjo of any wrong-doing concerning the power sector and has proved the allegations as false. For the records, Chief Obasanjo has addressed the issues of the power sector and the allegations against him on many occasions and platforms, including in his widely publicised book, My Watch in which he exhaustively stated the facts and reproduced various reports by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which conducted a clinical investigation into the allegations against Chief Obasanjo, and the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Recommendations in the Report of the Committee on Power on the Investigation into how the Huge Sums Of Money was Spent on Power Generation, Transmission And Distribution between June 1999 and May 2007 without Commensurate Result. Obasanjo recommended that Buhari and his co-travellers should read Chapters 41, 42, 43 and 47 of My Watch for Chief Obasanjo’s insights and perspectives on the power sector and indeed what transpired when the allegation of $16 billion on power projects was previously made. “If he cannot read the three-volume book, he should detail his aides to do so and summarise the chapters in a language that he will easily understand,” Obasanjo rubbed it in with a tinge of mischief! He added: “In the same statement credited to the President, it was alleged that there was some bragging by Chief Obasanjo over $16 billion spent on power. To inform the uninformed, the so-called $16 billion power expenditure was an allegation against Chief Obasanjo’s administration and not his claim. The President also queried where the power generated is. The answer is simple: The power is in the seven National Integrated Power Projects and eighteen gas turbines that Chief Obasanjo’s successor who originally made the allegation of $16 billion did not clear from the ports for over a year and the civil works done on the sites.” [caption id="attachment_91896" align="alignright" width="706"] Obasanjo and Buhari: When the going was good![/caption] [caption id="attachment_91978" align="alignright" width="400"] Derision of Obasanjo continues on social media[/caption] Chief Obasanjo concluded that he was ready for another enquiry “if in doubt and unsatisfied with the EFCC report and that of the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led ad-hoc committee.” Opinions were divided on the conflict. In other words, while there were those who lined up defending Buhari, Obasanjo’s supporters also came out smoking on social media and elsewhere. Ola Alatise also argued that the House Committee did not know exact figures in this fraud, but admitted that there was corruption on the part of the civil service and incompetent contractors who colluded to steal the money. Onoise Osunbor, did not agree with Obasanjo. Obasanjo, according to him, should be probed, and not on power alone, but the Benin Ore road contracts. “He had the best opportunity of every Nigerian and he blew it all. We had a new republic, in 1998. It became monetized. Ghana must go, became an intricate part of governance, as calling votes, and signing decrees. I remember how we went to the Ritz Carlton, here in Washington, DC to welcome him in 1998, expecting that he had a divine calling, based on his spiritual experience. He made a joke of it. Now, it’s a free for all.” Hakeem Kemi Kareem also has this to say: “With fear of being perceived as a tribalist, I wonder why my brothers and sisters across the Niger relish denigrating Buhari but whenever he throws a jab they have issues and not prepared to listen. This hatred is sickening. I just read OBJ response ...The bottom line is that OBJ expended $16B on the power sector and nothing to show for it. That tells a lot on the Mr. Letter writer, Mr. know all, Fiscal responsibility and financial management.” Kareem made the following demands: • That the brains behind the due process waiver granted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to “fast-track” the completion of the National Integrated Power Projects when former Power and Steel Minister Liyel Imoke and his deputy Alhaji Abdulhamid Ahmed held sway be investigated for economic sabotage. •That some over scoped, overpriced and cost inflated transmission line projects running into over N10 billion by the NIPP and PHCN be referred for investigation. •That Chief Obasanjo be summoned to account for “the recklessness in power sector during his time and the EFCC and ICPC should investigate him. •That besides Obasanjo, Imoke and his deputy all whom should face the music, “there is a prima facie evidence that Dr. Olusegun Agagu, former minister of power and steel awarded contracts without due process, EFCC and ICPC should investigate the allegations with a view to prosecuting anyone found culpable.” Wasiu Ademola Oyeniyi maintained: “As matter of fact, OBJ should have been in jail by now. If you have followed events before now, OBJ is always running to PMB for what I termed unnecessary consultation and a way of preventing justice. Friendship by force. PMB has never been to Ota since he assumed office in 2015. OBJ to me is an unrepentant dictator. However, there are certain individuals who queue behind Obasanjo in this new duel. One of them is Anthony Ailemen who wondered that is Buhari just realizing this now? “Has he not been in this country? Were these not the issues that made Nigerians to vote out Jonathan’s administration, thus ending PDP’s 16 years reign in Nigeria? For three good years, he has been sleeping at Aso Rock. Now that it is time for elections, he is just taking us back to old issues. We want to see his actionable programs to correct the wrongs, not complaints and blame games. He is acting like bad students who have not prepared himself for an exam only to turn around, blaming his teachers and parents for his problems on an exams day. Enough of blame games. [caption id="attachment_37438" align="alignright" width="600"] Egbin Power Plant[/caption] Wale Tawak also took the same pro-Obasanjo position. He asked: How true is the statement that “OBJ’s government spent $16 billion on power and had nothing to show for it”? He repeated Dr Nura Alkali's fact checks: 1. By May 1999 when OBJ took office, Nigeria had seven functional power plants generating 1,500 mW daily. These were Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro hydroelectric plants; and Egbin, Afam, Delta and Sapele gas thermal plants. 2. The two coal thermal plants at Orji River and Ijora were non-functional for lack of coal and obsolete equipment. 3. During 1999-2007, the FGN built six gas power plants now supplying electricity to the national grid. They include Afam II (276 mW), Papalanto (330 mW), Geregu (414 mW) and Omotosho (330 mW), all completed by May, 2007. 4. A fifth plant at Alaoji, Delta State (545 mW), was under construction. A sixth plant was under construction at Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom State (145 mW). It was a state government partnership with the FGN. 5. Also during 1999-2007, six states initiated power projects under the NIPP Program with FGN support (though not partnerships) at: Sapele (Delta State), Egbema (Imo), Ehobor (Edo), Gbaram (Bayelsa), Calabar (Cross-River), and Omoku (Rivers). 6. In the private sector, the Agip oil company built and commissioned a 480 mW thermal plant at Okpai, Delta State. 7. Two hydroelectric projects at Zungeru (Niger State) and Mambilla (Taraba State) were at the design and conception stage by 2007. Construction work started at Zungeru (700 mW) in 2013, to be completed in 2020, while construction work at Mambilla (3,050 mW) started only in 2018. 8. During 1999-2007, the FGN also rehabilitated existing power plants at Kainji, Egbin and Shiroro, which were all performing far below capacity due to accumulated neglect. 9. Also during 1999-2007, the FGN initiated new power transmission projects (though most of them commenced after 2007) and passed into law the Power Sector Reform Act which allowed the privatization of NEPA/PHCN. Today, he said that Nigeria owes at least 2,520 mW of her daily power generation to FGN policies conceived and executed during 1999-2007. That excludes investments in power transmission and distribution, as well as FGN support for NIPP projects which came on stream after 2007. He submitted therefore that OBJ’s government “has something to show for its power projects. It is left for auditors, engineers and other experts to determine whether $16 billion justifies that achievement.” Martins Oloja, a journalist with The Guardian, argued that this is playing politics with statistics because a presidential panel headed by the then VP Goodluck Jonathan set up by the Umaru Yar’Adua government put a lie to this after the same administration had sacked one Engr F. Somolu the then Secretary of NIPP who first drew attention to the lie: that $16 had been spent on power project. “The Panel made up of so many actors including CBN officials then found out that only $3.7 billion was disbursed out of the $10 billion budgeted and the balance was kept in an escrow account at the CBN. The CBN confirmed this to the panel and it was published...It was then found out that Tanimu Yakubu then Economic Adviser to President Yar’Adua began the propaganda against former President Obasanjo and Engr. Somolu then with Yar’Adua wrote a secret memo inside the state house to correct the wrong notion about $10 billion.” Oloja continued: “Even while that drama was going on, Speaker Dimeji Bankole sexed it up with another $6 billion and that was how $16 billion came about. But the same Yar’Adua’s panel confirmed what Engr. Somolu earlier told them. I remember that it was Ike Abonyi then of “Thisday”that broke the news of the presidential panel’s report... And others followed up! This record is in Power Ministry, the presidency and CBN... But Google still retains the record of $16 earlier orchestrated...” Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a civil society group and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), have advised Buhari to refer the allegations of mismanagement of $16 billion meant for power projects between 1999 and 2007 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation. Beyond that, the groups wanted the Federal Government to include the alleged squandering of over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply covering the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. SERAP in a statement by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “We welcome the focus by President Buhari on the massive allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the power sector and urge him to expand his searchlight beyond the Obasanjo government by ensuring accountability and full recovery of the over N11 trillion squandered by the three administrations. It is only by pursuing all the allegations and taking the evidence before the court that the truth will be revealed and justice best served. This is the only way to conclusively address the systemic corruption in the power sector and an entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.” The organisation said, “Addressing impunity in the power sector should be total. This would help improve the integrity of government and public confidence and trust in their government. It would also serve as a vehicle to further the public’s perception of fairness and thoroughness, and to avert any appearance of political considerations in the whole exercise.” According to the organisation, “By immediately pursuing justice and recovery of any stolen assets in the power sector, the Buhari government would be acting in the public interest, and consistent with the spirit and letter of the constitution, particularly Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, and providing that high-level public officials have a clear obligation to “eradicate all corrupt practices and abuse of power.” Obasanjo has penchant to attack those in power: Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan. I all, his verbal attacks always had almost 80 per cent support of Nigerians. The case is however different now because not a few Nigerians belive that Obasanjo is not operating from a moral high ground. Who will call a truce between the two men?