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US trip: UMAR SLAMS OBASANJO �You abandoned Nigeria in hour of need�
Stanley Yakubu (Kaduna) Taiwo Rasak and Olayinka Oyebode
Former military governor of Old Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, on Thursday condemned President Olusegun Obasanjo�s trip for the G-8 summit in Georgia, United States.
He described the trip as unnecessary and a demonstration of the president�s insensitivity of the people�s plight.
To him, the president abandoned Nigeria in the hour of need.
Obasanjo travelled out of the country on Wednesday morning, the day the labour movement and civil society groups called a nationwide strike in protest against the recent hike in fuel prices.
Defending the president�s trip on Wednesday, Information Minister, Chukwuemeka Chikelu, had declared that the �pre-eminent factor in determining the travel itinerary of the president is the interest of Nigerians and there is no doubt that it is in the interest of Nigerians that the president is there at the G8 summit to ensure that we make a strong case for strengthening our economy.�
But Umar disagreed. He told our correspondent in Kaduna that Obasanjo�s action was a demonstration of his reluctance to discharge his �responsibility to the nation.�
�He has abandoned Nigerians to their fate. In another way, it also goes to show that even if Obasanjo was around, there won�t be any difference. Even if he was around, I can tell you that it would not make any difference because he is impervious, totally insensitive to the feelings of Nigerians and their future.
�Obasanjo�s action has shown clearly that his government has abandoned Nigerians in the hands of oil businessmen to exploit us. This government has abdicated its responsibility to the nation. He has abandoned Nigerians to their fate.�
Umar said the demands of Labour, which led to the strike over the hike in fuel prices, were genuine and should be looked into by Obasanjo administration.
He advised Obasanjo to adopt a more compassionate attitude to critical issues confronting the nation to mitigate the plight of Nigerians, stressing: �Let there be a human face in the implementation of economic reform.�
An official of the apex northern group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, Usman Yerima, in his reaction, described the development as a sad one.
He queried: �Which trip is more important than the well being of the people? It only goes to show that he does not have the interest of the country at heart. What assignment is greater than the need to maintain the peace in the country? It appears travelling abroad at every opportunity has become a part of him that he is ready to abandon the country for such a trip, even in a period of great hazard.�
National Administrative Secretary of the leading Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told our correspondent that �it confirms that the president is committed to outside interests at the expense of domestic problems.�
He added: �It is sad that Nigerians have a president who feels that it is better to be abroad than stay back to solve a national problem. He has shown that he is not sensitive to the nation�s problems and is quite uncaring about what the people are passing through. This is the same president that accused Governor Joshua Dariye of jetting out when his state was burning. Is the country at peace now? Why couldn�t he stay back to resolve the problem?�
The president of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Mr. Peter Akpatason, said there was no need dissipating energy on the merits or demerits of Obasanjo�s decision to travel abroad at such a time as it is his �nature anyway.�
�That is his nature anyway. I believe the president has capable people he can delegate responsibilities to when travelling outside the country. I should think that the vice president should take part of the blame for government�s inability to make the marketers obey the court rule by reverting to the old price regime,� Akpatason said.
Obasanjo and five other African leaders: Thabo Mbeki (South Africa), John Kuffour (Ghana), Abdelaziz Bouteflika (Algeria), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Senegal�s Abdoulaye Wade were among the African leaders invited by summit host, U.S president George Bush to discuss issues such as debt relief, AIDS, peacekeeping, trade and the situation in Zimbabwe and Sudan with leaders of the world�s leading industrialized nations otherwise known as the G-8.
But leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt boycotted the summit, in spite of Bush�s invitation to them.
Both Arab nations shunned the summit over their disapproval of the American reform plan for the Middle East.
Saturday Punch, June 12, 2004
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