I’ll flee Nigeria if APC wins — Bode George

In this interview with ENIOLA AKINKUOTU, a
national leader of the Peoples Democratic
Party, Chief Bode George, speaks on the
recent comments of former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and other national issues
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says
President Goodluck Jonathan plans to
perpetuate himself in government like the
former President of Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent
Gbagbo. What do you think of this
comment?
He (Obasanjo) says he is a Christian and as a
Christian, it is emphasised in the New
Testament of the Bible where Christ said
judge not so that you will not be judged. But
his judgment is no longer about the policies
of Jonathan. He has gone down to the extent
of saying Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.) will jail you (Jonathan), that is why
you are afraid. I am holding my breath
because in an African setting, you talk to
elders with respect and that is why I am
trying to get the right words to describe my
feelings. Baba (Obasanjo) is not a young man.
He was Head of State at 39. So averagely, he
should be about 84 or 85 and I am requesting
that he should graciously fade away into the
midnight. In the Bible, Romans chapter 13
states clearly that we should pray for those
in authority. It says pray for your leaders so
that they don’t run aground. So, to me that
is my own interpretation. If baba (Obasanjo)
had attended the Council of State meeting in
Abuja, where they were very well briefed,
and that it was decided that only the
Chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega,
that could pronounce a postponement and
that he should go and come up with a
decision and Jega addressed a press
conference. Now to start comparing our
President with Gbagbo in Cote d’Ivoire is
unjust, unsavoury and unfair because what
is the population of Ivory Coast? What are
the tribal sentiments of Ivory Coast? Are
they the same here? I want to plead with
Baba. God has been kind to him and he has
served his own time. I don’t want to
conclude that his life will be like King Saul
in the Bible. I pray it will not be so. Baba has
played his role. No generation can finish any
job. Nation building is a continuous exercise.
You come, do your own and go back into
history.
Apart from the issue of insecurity which
Jega gave as the reason for the
postponement of the elections, do you think
INEC was ready to conduct the elections
on February 14 and 28?
I granted an interview recently and there
were two posers that I gave to Jega. Thank
God Jega is a professor. He told us that there
was an 88 per cent collection rate in Borno
State where there is massive insurgency as
well as in Yobe and Adamawa states. Here,
where there is calmness and civility, only 30
something per cent of the populace had
collected PVCs. It is just improving. I think as
of last Friday over three million had
collected as against 5.6 million. And he is
saying we are ready. Without the Permanent
Voter Cards, you are immediately
disenfranchised. Ask Jega that as a professor,
will it be fair to conduct an examination
whereby you have (students who have)
covered 80 per cent syllabus and another
class where you have (students who have)
covered only 30 per cent syllabus. Is it fair?
The other question is this issue of card
readers. Have they been tested? I am talking
as an electronic engineer of 48 years in
practice. You just bought equipment from
China and the last time it was tested was in
China. Our own environment is not the
same. Look at the vagaries of the
temperature here from the swampy areas of
the South and the savannah in the North.
Who has tested the equipment? Now, I am
not saying they will not all work but if there
are almost 9,000 polling units in Lagos, is he
saying all the 9,000 card readers will be
functional? If the card readers fail to work in
some polling units, what shall we do?
Why did the military surround former
Governor Bola Tinubu’s house?
If Bola Tinubu finds his way into national
government, I will go on exile. He hasn’t the
temerity and the calmness of mind. They
don’t even know what to do in power.
Because the vice-president is his boy, he will
just order that Bode George should be picked
up. He said soldiers came to him but he
must have been dreaming. When he said
soldiers had surrounded his house, I drove
down there because my house is not too far
from there. I know the hierarchy of the
military and its behaviour. That they
surrounded his house is lie number one
because on either side of his house are two
buildings. There is also one at the back. So, I
wondered where the soldiers were hiding.
Why would you lie for public consumption?
So when I got down there, I knew that his
spin doctors were working. These days
people go on the social media and the story
went viral. Why would he (President Godluck
Jonathan) from Abuja, be running after Bola?
Let them be very careful about the
statements they are making. More so, if
Obasanjo is now linking Jonathan with what
happened in Cote d’Ivoire and coup; not in
this 21st Century. That is past and gone
forever. No nation goes through this kind of
tribulation twice and survive. We have had
our own experience of Civil War and I pray
that God does not direct our minds in that
direction and our people have to watch their
mouths.
The general perception in Lagos is that the
governorship race is between yourself and
Tinubu.
Absolutely not! In the PDP, no individual
owns the party. I happen to have been the
first national vice chairman, South-West PDP,
and then became deputy national chairman
South and then deputy national chairman for
the whole country and having done that,
they have honoured me that as long as I
remain in the party, I remain a member of
the Board of Trustees and I am the only one
representing the South-West in the national
caucus forever. That is a great honour in our
party but I don’t decide who becomes a
candidate. Primaries were conducted and in
this particular case, the voice of the people
became louder than anybody’s. I am not like
Bola Tinubu, I don’t have the papers of the
party in my pocket. I don’t even have a veto
power. But the other side doesn’t practice
democracy. We have friends that are
members there. Jimi Agbaje has no godfather
but will not behave like an authoritarian
governor.
But Senator Musiliu Obanikoro said you
were the one that imposed Agbaje.
That is absolute garbage, he knew he was
lying. You know he came from their party
and that is why he was saying it was me. He
has now retracted the statement. We are now
one indivisible party and we are ready for
election. All the vagaries and all that
happened during the primary was a test of
the ability and the strength of our party and
we listened to the voice of the people. The
voice of the people is the voice of God.
Jonathan’s perception in the South-West is
not as favourable as it was in 2011. There
has been blame on you and other PDP
Yoruba leaders for allowing Buhari to
increase in popularity in the South-West.
If you had said this about two or three
weeks ago, I would have agreed. I got these
feelers straight to my face. People came to
me and said they would vote for Agbaje but
they will not vote for Jonathan because he
had done nothing for us here. And I
explained that there is a general
misunderstanding of the concept of operation
in this country. The long periods of military
rule presupposed that the Head of State was
responsible for everything and it is that
same thinking that is responsible for this
situation. We are all hands on deck
explaining the differences between military
governance and democratic governance.
Highly educated people, my age groups, were
asking me this question but I explained to
them that 60 per cent of the impact the
President will have on you is through the
federal allocation to your state. Does he give
every state and every local government
allocation? Yes. They collect it religiously
every 30 days. In the area of security, he
guarantees it. It is only three states in the
North-East battling insecurity. There is peace
and he guarantees that. What of
infrastructure? All federal roads in Lagos
from Alfred Rewane in Ikoyi all the way to
Third Mainland Bridge and Ebute Meta are
federal roads. Are they like the roads in
Somolu and Akowonjo?
Secondly, the APC refused to participate in
the National Conference. Since he (Buhari)
has refused to debate, what will he do about
the resolution unanimously reached by the
National Conference? What will happen to
the report? The decisions of the National
Conference are so germane to the future of
this country. The more reasons why the man
who conceptualised it should be allowed to
implement his decisions.

Ekiti Gate: APC Wants Obanikoro Banned From Public Office, Adesiyan Sacked As Minister

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the
banning of former Minister of state for Defence, Musliu
Obanikoro, from holding any public office over his role in
the rigging of the governorship election in Ekiti state on
June 21, 2014.
APC Presents Ekiti Rigging Audio Tapes To The Public
Mr. Obanikoro’s name was Tuesday sent to the Senate for
confirmation as minister, by President Goodluck Jonathan. The
APC asked the Senate not to confirm Mr. Obanikoro.
APC also asked Nigeria’s armed forces to immediately begin
investigating Aliyu Momoh, a Major General for his role in the
alleged rigging of the election in Ekiti and repeating same in
Osun and ensure that immediate and necessary disciplinary
action are taken against all individuals that were involved in
what it said was subversion of democracy.
A video recording recently emerged of an intelligence officer in
the Nigerian Army, Captain Sagir Koli, giving details of how
General Momoh was used by Mr. Obanikoro, Ayo Fayose and
others to rig the election.
Also now in the public domain is a recording of a secret
meeting convened by top Peoples Democratic Party’s politicians
to strategise on how to rig the Ekiti election.
Rising from its first joint leadership meeting at the Shehu
Yar’Adua Centre Abuja, the APC also asked the Federal
government to immediately relieve the Minister of Police Affairs,
Jelili Adesiyan of his appointment.
The oppsosition party also asked the Nigerian government to
ensure that the armed forces are kept out of partisan politics in
line with a recent judgment by a court in Sokoto and its
affirmation by the Court of Appeal on Monday.
Part of the outcome of the joint leadership meeting was that the
rescheduled election dates of the March 28 and April 11 must
remain sacrosanct. The party said it would not tolerate any
further shift.
The party added that “the use of the card reader for the 28th of
March and 11th of April is non-negotiable, as contrary to the
misinformation being disseminated the use of card reader is not
synonymous with electronic voting”.
Speaking earlier, the party’s presidential candidate and former
Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, urged members of the party
not to “relax” after the completion of its campaign rallies
nationwide.
Mr. Buhari said APC should not lose focus due to the
extension. “Our patience and resilience will be tested in the
days ahead. We must pass this test. In a time like this, which
in football analogy can be referred to as extra time, we must
avoid making costly mistakes,” Mr. Buhari said. The APC
presidential candidate said the party must use the next six
weeks “to re-charge and re-focus on our goal”.
He said the goal of the APC remains to win the elections now
slated for March 28 and April 11 with a convincing majority.
“We should aim to achieve a victory that will be beyond dispute
and proceed to form the next government and start work on the
task of rebuilding our beloved country.
“Our eyes must be on the objective to build a great society that
works for all of us. A country where every child has an equal
opportunity to get an education, where every young Nigerian
who needs a job can find one. Where the sick are looked after
and senior citizens are provided for. A country which gives
value to human life, where the welfare and security of all is a
national priority and corruption is defeated,” he said.
Speaking on the Ekiti rigging debacle, Mr. Buhari expressed
surprise at the silence from the government over the matter.
“Up till now, there has been no official denial of this most
unfortunate event. It makes me wonder, in the circumstances
that led to shifting of the date of the Federal Elections, whether
the security services are even now being prepared to play
similar roles in the March 28th and April 11th elections.
Mr. Buhari said security services have serious constitutional
responsibilities to the people of the nation adding that their
importance to the health of the country cannot be
underestimated.
He urged the leadership of the security services to keep the
institutions out of partisan politics.
“I personally and, am sure, all Nigerians, have tremendous
respect for our security services. I therefore urge strongly that
they stick to, and concentrate on, their constitutional duties,
otherwise they stand the risk of becoming part of our already
complicated national situation,” he said.
He also thanked members of the party who took time to
participate in his campaign rallies across the country.
He particularly thanked those “who have been made mind
boggling offers by our opponents in a bid to break our ranks
and curtail our momentum in the march to change Nigeria for
good, yet you have chosen to be on the side of a cause that is
just”. He appealed to the party leaders and faithful not to rest
thinking that all is won. “Six weeks is a long time and we do
not know the plans of the other side but with our strong
resolve, we will prevail.
“Therefore let us keep our eyes on the ball. Let us work as we
have never done before, and let us watch and help each other.
The days and weeks ahead will be tough.
“Our resolve will be tested and all kinds of evil tricks will be on
display. But do not despair. The goal is in sight. Change is
coming. The people of Nigeria will prevail. God has destined
Nigeria to be a great country. We shall overcome and Change
shall be achieved,” Mr. Buhari said.

SOURCE : PREMIUM TIMES

Another politician tears his PDP party membership in public

Why show so much disrespect for the party
in public? Why not just quit and be done
with it? Pictured above is Abdullahi
Muhammad, the Senior Special Adviser on
Security to Gombe state governor, Ibrahim
Dankwambo, publicly tearing his PDP
membership card yesterday.

New York Times Slams President Jonathan

“It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan grew alarmed by the
surging appeal of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler
who has vowed to crack down on Boko Haram,” the article
said. “By dragging out the race, Mr. Jonathan stands to
deplete his rival’s campaign coffers, while he continues to use
state funds and institutions to bankroll his own.”

In an editorial on Monday, the New York Times slammed the
postponement of the Nigerian elections. It pointed out that the
action might have been more credible if President Goodluck
Jonathan’s government had not spent much of the past year
playing down the threat posed by Boko Haram and if there were
a reasonable expectation that Nigeria’s weak army has the
ability to improve security over the next few weeks.
“It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan grew alarmed by the
surging appeal of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler
who has vowed to crack down on Boko Haram,” the article said.
“By dragging out the race, Mr. Jonathan stands to deplete his
rival’s campaign coffers, while he continues to use state funds
and institutions to bankroll his own.”
Recalling that Buhari led a coup against a democratically
elected government in 1983, it argued that his emergence as
potential winner of the forthcoming election is more of an
indictment of Jonathan’s dismal rule than a recognition of the
former military chief’s appeal.
It criticized Jonathan’s performance over the abduction of the
Chibok girls and the attacks by Boko Haram, saying they have
exposed the weaknesses of Nigeria’s armed forces and the
dysfunction of the government.
“Beyond security matters, entrenched corruption and the
government’s inability to diversify its economy as the price of
oil, the country’s financial bedrock, has fallen have also caused
Nigerians to look for new leadership. Nigeria, the most
populous nation in Africa, and a relatively young democracy,
cannot afford an electoral crisis.”
It would be recalled that following an endorsement of Buhari by
The Economist in its edition dated February 7, a sulking
Jonathan said he did not need the support of the magazine.
Text of the editorial by the New York Times:
Nigeria’s Miserable Choices
The Nigerian government was supposed to hold presidential
elections this past weekend, which presented voters with the
dispiriting choice of keeping a lousy incumbent or returning to
power a former autocratic leader. Now they will have to wait at
least six weeks to cast votes.
The Nigerian election commission said earlier this month that it
had pushed back the vote until at least March 28, after the
country’s security chiefs warned that they could not guarantee
the safety of voters in northeastern areas of the country where
Boko Haram, the extremist militant group, captured
international attention last spring when it abducted hundreds of
schoolgirls. On Friday, Boko Haram fighters attacked a village in
neighboring Chad for the first time, an alarming sign of the
group’s expanding strength in a region that also includes areas
of Cameroon and Niger.
Any argument to delay the vote might be more credible if
President Goodluck Jonathan’s government had not spent much
of the past year playing down the threat posed by the militants
and if there were a reasonable expectation that the country’s
weak military has the ability to improve security in a matter of
weeks.
It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan grew alarmed by the
surging appeal of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler
who has vowed to crack down on Boko Haram. By dragging out
the race, Mr. Jonathan stands to deplete his rival’s campaign
coffers, while he continues to use state funds and institutions
to bankroll his own.
That Mr. Buhari, who helped launch a coup against a
democratically elected government in 1983 and ruled until late
1985, has emerged as potential winner is more of an indictment
of Mr. Jonathan’s dismal rule than a recognition of the former
military chief’s appeal.
Nigerian voters have grown increasingly worried about the
stunning rise of Boko Haram, which has committed terrorist
atrocities including bombings.
The abductions and attacks by the group have exposed the
weaknesses of Nigeria’s armed forces and the dysfunction of
the government. Although Mr. Jonathan’s government has in
the past been less than enthusiastic, and at times obstructive,
in response to offers of American and European aid, he appears
to be growing increasingly worried. In an interview with The
Wall Street Journal last week, he said he would welcome
American troops to fight the insurgency.
Beyond security matters, entrenched corruption and the
government’s inability to diversify its economy as the price of
oil, the country’s financial bedrock, has fallen have also caused
Nigerians to look for new leadership. Nigeria, the most
populous nation in Africa, and a relatively young democracy,
cannot afford an electoral crisis. That would only set back the
faltering effort to reassert government control in districts where
Boko Haram is sowing terror. The security forces may not be
able to safeguard many districts on Election Day. But
postponement is very likely to make the security threat worse.
*An editorial by New York Times published today with the title,
‘Nigeria’s Miserable Choices’

Hours after Obasanjo dumped ruling party, Ogun PDP expels former President

Hours after Olusegun Obasanjo announced his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, the Ogun State chapter of the party has announced that it was expelling the former president from its fold.
The statement expelling Mr. Obasanjo from the party was issued by the state chairman, Bayo Dayo, who said the former President had to be expelled following series of unabated anti-party activities,’unbecoming of a highly celebrated party man’.
“The totality of the executive,leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family in Ogun State hereby state categorically as from today Monday 16th of February 2015, Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo stands expelled and ex-communicated from the party,thereby loosing all rights,previous privileges and respect of our teeming party members,” Mr. Dayo said.
“The general public especially the media are to take note that whatever Obasanjo does or say must no longer be seen from the prism of a PDP leader. Indeed he seems to have lost all sense of proper behaviour expected of a man who previously used and abused the opportunity provided him by the PDP.
The statement explained that, his ward eleven, Abeokuta North Local Government, has earlier sent in a letter dated February 12, 2015 expressing serious concerns at his numerous anti-party activities and uncomplimentary utterances targeted at the leader of the party, President Jonathan.
“It is ironic that this is the same Obasanjo who when he was President never tolerated nor accept any opinion, suggestion or criticism of his tenure,” Mr. Dayo said
Coming as the climax of his feud with the leadership of the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Obasanjo had supervised the shredding of his PDP membership card on Monday at his Abeokuta, Ogun State, Hilltop residence.
This happened while the former President was hosting members of the PDP from his Ward, 11, Ita-Eko, led by Surajudeen Oladunjoye, whom Obasanjo asked to tear his card.
Mr. Oladunjoye tore the card amid anti-PDP chants by the guests.
They danced and sang in Yoruba: “Bi awada, bi ere, PDP wole lo” (like play, like play, PDP sinks).
Also, in a speech at the ceremony, Mr. Obasanjo indicated he was aware the PDP planned to expel him from its fold.
“They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river,” he said.
Then, barely two hours after asking his membership be torn, the Ogun State chapter of the PDP announced his expulsion.
Mr. Obasanjo had on Saturday accused Mr. Jonathan of planning to scuttle the forthcoming elections, thereby unleashing “Gbagbo treatment” on Nigeria.
But in its reaction, the Presidency, in a statement by Reuben Abati, Presidential spokesperson, said Mr. Obasanjo was rooting for interim national government which he hoped to head