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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan had a grand plan to scuttle the coming elections for fear that if General Muhammadu Buhari(retd) of All Progressives Congress succeeds him, Buhari would send him to jail.

He said this at his Hilltop presidential residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State while talking with journalists. He said he broke his promise not to talk till after the elections because the elections were postponed.

Obasanjo spoke just as Nobel laureate and playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka, warned President Goodluck Jonathan not to use security agencies to scuttle the current democratic dispensation.

Soyinkas warning to Jonathan was contained in a letter he sent to one of our correspondents on Saturday.

In another letter that was made public on Saturday, former chairman of the National Population Commission, Chief Festus Odimegwu, called on Jonathan to ensure that the polls were free and fair.

Obasanjo, who just returned from foreign trips, said, I believe the Presidents fear is particularly motivated by whom he sees as his likely successor, that is, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. I believe people would have been telling him that Buhari is a hard man; he will fight corruption and he (Jonathan) may end up in jail if not in the grave. I think people would have told him that sort of thing and he is not the only one afraid of Buhari.

But Obasanjo said Buhari should have learnt his lessons and might not be contemplating sending people to jail to fight corruption.

If he has not learnt his lessons, he would be probably the most unlearning human being. Now if he has learnt his lessons, he will know that you do not fight corruption by putting people in jail for 200 years. This was done by my predecessor in office, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. He recovered over $750m from Abachas estate without putting anybody in jail and without harming or hurting anybody.

When I took over, we recovered over $1.25bn from the same Abacha without hurting anybody and without harming anybody. What is rather unfortunate is the fact that our lawyer who is still alive, who was chasing this money all over the world, said to us that there was still well over $1bn to be recovered from the Abacha estate.

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Jonathan afraid Buhari will jail him Obasanjo

The All Progressives Congress has described the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, Joseph Mbu, as a lawless and barbaric policeman, who should urgently be cautioned by his boss before he starts another around of his trade-mark nihilism in his new posting.

In a statement in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Mbus actions since he was posted to Lagos had neither dignified the police as an institution nor portrayed him as a well-trained law enforcement agent.

It said the temperament, comportment, utterances and actions of Mbu, as a very senior police officer, were capable of inciting mass killings, violence and anarchy.

APC added, Since his posting to the Zone 2 Command, this contumacious policeman has exhibited an egregious act of lawlessness by barging through the Lekki Toll Plaza without paying toll and then ordering the arrest of policemen and workers at the Plaza. Is it not an irony that a man, who is trained to enforce the law, is the same, who is breaking the law?

But that action, as bad as it was, pales into insignificance when compared to his most recent statement in which he was basically inciting the police against the citizenry and encouraging the killing of civilians. It is sheer irresponsibility for a senior policeman to say that for every policeman, who is killed during the election, he will kill 20 civilians.

Lest we are misunderstood, our party will never condone the killing of police personnel or of any law enforcement agent for whatever reason, just as we will not condone the killing of any innocent Nigerian. If a senior police officer does not know how to convey to his officers and men that they should protect themselves while also avoiding extra-judicial killing of any citizen, then the funds spent in training him have been wasted.

The party said such language as fire-for-fire , If one of my men is killed, I shall kill twenty of them or you have the power to stop the Governor is inappropriate, inciting and barbaric, especially under a democratic dispensation, and most unbecoming of a senior law enforcement agent.

APC said Mbu should be held solely responsible for any violence or killing of innocent citizens before, during and after the elections in the area under his command.

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Mbus order to policemen to kill barbaric, lawless APC

February 15, 2015 by John Alechenu, Chukwudi Akasike, Success Nwogu, Etim Ekpimah, Samuel Awoyinfa and Adelani Adepegba 10 Comments

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

Following what the All Progressives Congress described as the growing threat to the lives of its leaders, some of the partys chieftains have resorted to making private security arrangements.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that part of these arrangements included engaging private security guards (some of which allegedly carry arms) as well as beefing up security in and around their homes and offices.

Some of the party members volunteered this information on the condition of anonymity.

One of them explained that the chieftains were forced to make backup plans because it was becoming clear that the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government would withdraw the services of regular security men as the elections approach.

He said, We cannot pretend we dont know what the PDP is up to. There is more to the deliberate harassment of our leaders by security agencies within the last one week.

First, it was Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Rochas Okorocha; then our Presidential Campaign Director of Media, Mr. Garba Shehu. Only God knows who will be next.

It was in this same country during election period that Chief Harry Marshal and Bola Ige were killed. Only a careless person will rely solely on government security men who can be withdrawn at any time.

In Rivers State, the state chapter of the APC said its members were relying on natural human instincts to protect party leaders from assassination plots.

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APC resorts to private security guards

Chukwuemeka Ezeife

Third Republic Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, tells TOBI AWORINDE that former President Olusegun Obasanjos endorsement of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), may not be worth its salt

What do you think of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who helped found the Peoples Democratic Party, endorsing the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)?

Unusual and unconventional things keep happening in Nigeria. I dont know whether the solidarity of the military is so strong that it compels people to do such things. Is there a military caucus made up of a different breed of Nigerians such that an officer must support another officer? I hear that Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.) is also supporting Buhari, to my greatest surprise. The military caucus, perhaps, is the strongest one in the (political) system. An endorsement by Gen. Obasanjo can be a kiss of death for any political figure. I dont know how much is left of Obasanjos credibility to endorse somebody and if it can have a positive effect.

But Obasanjo also endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. Are you saying the President didnt profit from that vote of confidence?

You are right, Obasanjo brought out Jonathan and endorsed him in 2011, even when he (Jonathan) was contesting against Buhari. So, what has changed? Or is there another caucus of the North and northern supporters? What happened to (Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru) Jega is also happening to other northerners. But some Hausa/Fulani Muslims have taken a decision to return power to themselvesthe born-to-rule peopleand everyone seems to be endorsing Buhari for that reason. The ways of Obasanjo are sometimes inscrutable, but I pray that, for him and for all of us, the will of God will happen. Jonathan is a tool in the hands of God, chosen to do Gods purpose for Nigeria. If he has finished that purpose, he will leave. But if he has not finished Gods purpose, he will be there and no man born by a woman can remove him.

Is it normal for an elder statesman of such prominence to go against his partys mandate and endorse a member of the opposition?

A former head of state is a human being and has human rights. I dont think anything is wrong with that. But if you are in a party and you endorse another partys candidate, it means you are indulging in anti-party activities. In honour, he should therefore resign from the PDP.

Are you, therefore, in support of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayoses proposition that the party suspend the ex-President over inter-party activities?

Let me tell you something: we dont have parties. After the presidential elections, we will work to build two parties in Nigeria. The two-party system has been demonstrated to be what Nigeria needs; what works for and integrates Nigeria, crushing religiosity and tribalism. We have one of the parties already surfacingthe Social Democratic Party. We will define the ideology of the SDP properly and the people who want to be on the other side will define their ideology. That way, we would give Nigeria a two-party system. After the presidential elections, even with Jonathan as president, the PDP may have to go. Look at how they cause all kinds of problems for themselves. One is not sure where a member of the PDP is heading. You can see that the President is a member of the PDP. But some people say even the PDP chairman is not with the party. The PDP may eventually leave the scene, even with the President in office.

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Obasanjos support for Buhari, kiss of death Ezeife

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