I Can't Pick My Successor, Says Obasanjo
By 'Deji Elumoye, Olawale Olaleye and Ndubuisi Ugah
President Olusegun Oba-sanjo yesterday said he cannot decide who will succeed him in 2007. Rather, he said, the decision on who takes over from him rests solely with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on the monthly media chat on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the president said the reason he has maintained neutrality in the 2007 campaign is because any such move would not only be defeatist, but diversionary as 2007 is still three years away.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, had recently said it was only Obasanjo who would decide who succeeds him in 2007, when he must have completed a two-term tenure. Anenih stated this against the backdrop of frenzied campaigns by supporters of former military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida, Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Brig.-General Buba Marwa, former governor of Lagos State.
But the party's National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, held a contrary view when he said the party and not Obasanjo would decide who will be the next president.
Commenting on the issue yesterday, Obasanjo said it was only God, who could decide who would succeed him, more so that he was not in the know of what may happen in the next 24 hours. "As we are here, I don't know what will happen next. It is only God who can decide because tomorrow, 23rd of August, I don't know what can happen to me," he said.
He maintained that it was difficult for him to know who would succeed him when he is not even sure of where he is now, let alone 2007.
Obasanjo said the reason he has maintained neutrality over time is because if he chose to support any candidate, other forces may align together and pull both of them down, therefore vitiating the entire game-plan the candidate may have nurtured.
Besides, he said if he had told his deputy, Atiku, he was not going to support him, the Vice President could equally make the next three years difficult for him. Obasanjo, therefore, said he would continue to maintain neutrality until the time when the party would choose a successor.
Obasanjo who held the view that the party's choice of a successor is a universal practice recalled that when the PDP was formed in August 1998, the party had just the following year (1999) to hold its convention and plan for the elections, all of which he claimed went well.
He then added that if it was possible in 1999, the PDP is still capable of handling any such situation in 2007.
Obasanjo added that all he is concerned with now is the need and drive to continue to offer focused, selfless, visionary and purposeful leadership that would make the country stand out in the comity of nations to be self-reliant, unified, strong and respected.
He said he was looking forward to a Nigeria where her citizens would be proud enough to call themselves Nigerians.
The president said Nigeria also "needs the leadership that has the fear, guidance and direction of God because no matter what, if you do not imbibe the divine direction, human efforts will be in vain".
On the other hand, he said the kind of leadership he is offering also requires a followership that understands reasons for certain actions, a situation he claimed was not easy, especially if the disposition of people to his reform programmes was anything to consider.
For instance, Obasanjo said there have been divergent views on how far his government has gone in the last five years, but what gave him joy is the fact that there are indicators to show that his government has made significant progress.
He however added that what should remain the driving motive of any leadership is the ability not to compromise on vision, objectives and principles.
Also speaking on the African Union (AU) security meeting billed to hold today in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the situation in Dafur, Sudan, Obasanjo said the meeting is essentially to deal with the political solution to the crisis rocking the country. He said the need for a political solution came as a result of the fact that there is no human problem without a political solution.
The president explained that though, two other key solutions like the need to ensure the welfare and well-being of the people of Sudan as well as the issue of disarmament would be addressed, but that they are later to form the basis for a political solution whose process is to begin today in Abuja.
Obasanjo noted that the meeting would initiate the move for dialogue and the development of Dafur in particular as well as Sudan in general, more so that the situation in Dafur did not happen overnight.
He said because he was particularly impressed by what he heard from his colleagues in AU, he had sent messages to the people of Sudan as well as members of the different organisations within the region. "All the people here showed that we must move together in unison. So, we must break the circle of violence in Africa," he said.
The president who claimed to be alarmed by the reported find in Okija shrine in Anambra State also tasked the police to carry out an extensive investigations into the alleged killings in the shrine because such things were the least expected in a modern Nigeria.
He said when the news first got to him through the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, he did not take it seriously because he rarely understood what he was saying until it was flashed on the network news and then he had to call the IG for a thorough investigation because "this must be looked into".
On his recent 'mid-term' visit to Plateau State, President Obasanjo said the emergency rule has once again restored hope and confidence of the people, who he said were appreciative of Federal Government's move to ensure that peace returned to the state.
He said his assessment and findings while the visit lasted revealed that the people were happy over the emergency rule declaration, which he added justified the whole essence of the declaration.
"I went there on a mid-term assessment of the state of things in the state and I am happy that the people are happy over the concern shown by government to ensure that peace returned to the state. Even the Emir of Shendam, who initially was not pleased about the state of emergency declared in the state commended me for the action having realised the whole essence of its effect on the state", he said.
Apparently reacting to the case of the suspended governor of the state, Joshua Dariye, Obasanjo said, "the suspended governor (Dariye) is not an issue. The state Assembly is not an issue either except those institutions that are readily playing vital roles in ensuring that peace and tranquility reigns in the state".
He maintained that his visit was not connected to the decision as to whether to lift the state of emergency or to assure of a possible reprieve for Dariye. He said the visit was based purely on "a mid-term assessment of the state and not an indicator that there would be a lifting of the state of emergency".
He noted that the expiration of the emergency rule in the state will determine the next step to take in the suspension of the various democratic structures.
"The government will know what to do after the expiration elapses," he said.
On why government has not been so decisive in dealing with some governors alleged to be diverting public funds, the President observed that the country was practising a federal system of government which demands that things ought to be done in a particular way and manner.
Citing his approach to spending of public funds, Obasanjo said "before I get money from the federation account, I would have made an appropriation of what I want before the National Assembly, which in turn approves and I get the money which I now spend where there are internal auditors to check such actions with the Auditor General General being at the helm of such monitoring."
According to him, such measures are supposed to be obtainable at the state level, where structures are supposed to be put in place to equally monitor the spending of such public funds by such state executives.
"We are practicising federalism. When I get money from the federation account, I make appropriation and the national Assembly approves and I spend. There are internal auditors with the auditor general of the federation who check how these monies are being spent. The same should be made at the state level", he added.
He explained that governors have limited autonomy to run the affairs of the state within the confines of the constitution. He added that "if a governor commits crime, the law should take its course".
Obasanjo explained that in resolving the issue of governors being accused of diverting public funds, there should be the establishment of an evidence to back such allegation moreso as there are already the establishment of such agencies as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Com-mission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the police.
He remarked that the presence of the law enforcement agencies was why the present administration decided to harp on public office holders to adhere to the rules of the code of conduct in whatever they do.
He noted that this was why the government would continue to investigate such cases so long as there are susbstantive evidences to justify such allegations.
Speaking on the proposed amendment of the Trade Unions Act by the Federal Government, Obasanjo said there was no going back on the proposed amendment since it was apparent that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) needed to be reformed as part of the administration's on-going reform programme.
According to him, "I have no second thought on the Trade Union Act. Since I was the one that established it when I was the country's head of state, I still believe that it needs to be reformed to make it more democratic", he expalined.
While acknowledging that he believes in trade unionism, Obasanjo said that did not stop him from not ensuring that the labour Bill is amended, stating that "we have a particular law which needs to be amended. This Act needs reformation", he reiterated.
On the controversy which dogged the selection of a new Olowu Of Owu, President Obasanjo said there was an established declaration by late Governor Olabisi Onabanjo, who made sure that there was a particular procedure to select the new Oluwu of Owu which bordered on who, how and when to contest for the position.
He said as the Balogun of Owu (Prime Minister)and chairman of the selection committee, it behoves on him to ensure that the procedure is adhered to.
Obasanjo said in arriving at a common ground, precedence and priority should be given to the direct male descendants of Owu.
He noted that when six people appeared before the committee, the closest that met the criteria had a grandfather, who is an Olowu, which implied that the first consideration should go to the descendant of the grandfather.
"If your mother is a descendant of Owu that does not make you a candidate since the declaration says that the first direct male descendant of Owu should be accorded priority first", he added.
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