Be magnanimous in victory, Obasanjo tells Buhari
Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasnjo on Wednesday advised the President -Elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to demostrate magnanimity over his victory in the Saturday’s presidential election.
Obasanjo gave the advice in abeokuta in his congratulatory message to Buhari.
The former president noted that Nigeria’s political system was unnecessarily overheated by politicians.
He observed that emphasis of the campaign was more on trivialities and was largely characterised by divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements.
Obasanjo therefore advised Buhari to be magnanimous by “binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaigns and the evil disciples”.
The elder statesman expressed the belief that such disposition would enable Buhari to focus on pressing issues requiring urgent attention when he eventually assumed office.
Obasanjo urged him to embark on institutional reforms, to improve various sectors including education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power and agriculture.
He also urged him to step up measures to promote national unity and cohesiveness as well as rid Nigeria of corruption.
While expressing confidence in the ability of Buhari to perform, Obasanjo advised him to recruit people of proven integrity to work with him.
“I am sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in promoting Nigeria to enviable heights,” he said.
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20 Comments
I take it that Obasanjo believes his own relevance. He should be satisfied that Buhari is and will continue to be surrounded by well honed men and women that can honourably be called Child of Nigeria – title that must only be reserved for the ultimate patriot like GEJ – Omo Nigeria, Nwam Nigeria and please add the other languages of our wonderfull nation blessed by the spirit of all our ancestors. Wah Doh!
To Obasanjo. I am sure you may not have the humility as that has not been your person hitherto, but you’re alive to witness the Child Miracle that is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. You may be honest enough to concede that you could have done better during your tenure. You are alive and able. You must now try to atone for your failures and you have opportunities all around you to do so. Take up a charity and you shouldn’t crow from a minaret to court publicity for any efforts you may employ in righting some of your wrongs done in leadership. Don’t be embarrassed of your own irrelevance in national politics but be glad this day to be a proud Nigerian like me.
Obasanjo made the “Child Miracle that is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan”. Let’s assume Obasanjo is a devil but, “you cannot dined and wined with the devil and turn your back on him after satisfying your hunger only to come back again when you are hungry” Jonathan lost the election partly because he did not know or forgotten that “he who has the power to lift you up also has the power to pull you down”. Is it not glaring now that without Obasanjo Jonathan is nothing? Are you not surprise that Obasanjo supported another person who is now our new president? do not take human being for granted, OBJ is an “evil genius”. OBJ will continue to be relevant at-least for the next four years.
Are you suggesting that OBJ is now an APC card holder? Those who flee the kitchen when it is hot will never be cooks as only a limited meal can be prepared outside of the kitchen. Please no need to enter into a debate over OBJ and his relevance in the current circumstances. Just join everyone else (OBJ included) in celebration of the emergence of our country into the 21st century. If I were in OBJ’s shoes right at this moment, I will be filled with excited embarrassment at the humility of one so honourable as GEJ. I can see him now grudging acknowledging the miracle that is the ‘Child of NIgeria’ – ‘Omo Nigeria’. Enjoy the rest of your day in celebration.
YES BUT THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND IMPUNITY MUST BE IN THE FRONT BURNER AND THE NUMBER ON PRIORITY OF THE IN COMING BUHARI ADMINISTRATION. THE NEXT MAJOR BATTLE IS THE ECONOMY, THAT HAS BEEN VERY SEVERELY DESTROYED AND BASTARDISED BY BY THIS GOODLUCK JONATHAN OUT GOING ADMINISTRATION. WE MUST ASK QUESTIONS AND DEMAND IMMEDIATE ANSWERS FROM EVERY PERSON THAT WAS RECKLESSLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS VERY GRAVE ECONOMIC CALAMITY OR CATASTROPHE, BUT IN DOING SO WE MUST APPLY VERY DUE PROCESSES AND VERY DILIGENT METHODS AND APPROACHES.IT IS A VERY DAUNTING TASK CONFRONTING THE IN COMING BUHAHI’S ADMINISTRATION, BUT WE ARE VERY CONVINCED THAT HE HAS THE CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY AND THAT HE IS A VERY WILLING, READY AND ABLE PERSON FOR THESE VERY GREAT JOBS. I ONCE AGAIN EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT ELECT BUHAHI. I WILL ALSO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THOSE WHO CALLED ME A LOT OF UNPRINTABLE NAMES WHEN I SAID FROM DAY ONE THAT GOODLUCK JONATHAN WILL BE DEFEATED VERY CONVINCINGLY BY BUHARI. I TOLD THEM THEN THAT IF IN THE VERY UNLIKELY SCENARIO THAT GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS RE ELECTED ALMIGHTY GOD FORBIDS, THAT THE POPE WILL MARRY AND THAT THE KING OF SAUDI ARABIA THE HEAD OF THE MUSLIM WORLD WILL BECOME A CHRISTIAN. I WILL NOW STEP ASIDE FROM PARTY PATRICIAN POLITICS, SINCE I HAVE ACHIEVED MY AIMS AND I WISH BUHARI THE BEST OF LUCKS AND THE GUIDANCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD IN THESE VERY GRAVE AND VERY SERIOUS TASKS HE IS GOING TO INHERIT
Those who claim to be guided by some god are mentally ill and such claims are signs of cognitive dissonance, which enable such persons, and there are such persons, to think that nothing wrong could have been done by them and them alone – not me Gov.
Perhaps, i’m not educated enough to decode this…pls, kindly decode your own ‘trance statement”
ADVISE TO BUHARI:
All cabinet members (Ministers) should be made to swear by the gods of their father, e.g Ogun, Sango, Amadioha etc
I think the priority of Buhari’s administration should be pacify and try to mend the various cracks in the nigerian society. The trend of the campaign and the result of the elections has shown that the country is fragmented along ethnic and religious lines. We are terribly divided and Buhari’s personality amplified this scenario. Nothing justifies as normal the fact that a presidential candidate will obtain almost a 100% acceptance in one region and almost a 100% rejection in another region. OBJ rightly observed that this campaign was characterized by divisive, undignified and disrespectful statements. The majority of the electorate voted not based on ideas but rather out of sentiments. This is a dangerous scenario. We are not patriotic because we don’t believe in a united One Nigeria. Buhari has the responsibility to change this. A Nigerian should be a Nigerian independent of tribe or religion.
Every society has divisions and differences and these may ethnically or religiously based. No need to exaggerate our differences. It should start with you and I. I worship our ancestors, but that shouldn’t and can’t mean that I should elevate that difference to a dispute with those who chose comfort in Islam or Christianity eve as I can argue that their practices are baseless and irrational.
What you cannot do is close your eyes and pretend these problems do not exist. I know Nigeria had experienced a civil war because of religious and tribal divides. The old USSR pretended not to see the cracks in their society and when the center could not hold anymore we all saw the outcome – total defragmentation. I am not exaggerating your differences rather I am showing my observations. I have a Nigerian father and a foreign mother and I live outside of Nigeria but I take pride being Nigerian. I try to follow the trend of things in Nigeria and I wish I was wrong but it remains a fact that Nigeria is cracked and any patriotic Nigerian should be worried about that.
Presidential election is over. The work to salvage Nigeria from corruption begins. We need to go back to the era WAI (War agaist Indiscipline) Nigerians have spoken through their votes. We should not allow corruption to destroy our great nation.
OBJ is the most obnoxious,selfish controlling and the most dangerous man we have in Nigeria. I hope he respects himself and back off for the new government to do what they gave to do. Not sitting in his house in Abeokuta and wanting to use his remote control to dictate what happens.
The same OBJ that is praising GMB today will turn against him with time. He is doing what he is doing now because he is getting the attention of GMB, but when that ceases, OBJ will write him a letter or letters. GMB must beware of OBJ so that he does not get the GEJ treatment from this Otta man.
“I am sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in promoting Nigeria to enviable heights,” he said.
I am sure Olusegun Obasanjo does not include himself in this category. From all indications he is a moving poison and a sure agent of destabilization.
Nobody requires OBJ’s advice. I think Buhari can cope without him. This paternalism was the reason why OBJ fell out with Jonathan. So let Buhari do his own thing! At 72, he does not require such silly and meaningless advice!
NOBODY IS ABOVE ADVICE, ANYBODY WHO DOES NOT LISTEN TO OBJ SUFFERS
If and when anyone asserts the word ‘NOBODY ‘it must be nobody in truth,and not an illusion. It is on record that at the preliminary stage of General Buhari electioneering consultations, the Buhari’s team visited Ota farm, which by extension and implication was to seek advice cum support. In this Africa’s largest democracy, only its two former leaders are and would remain United Nation errand figures simply because they successfully relinquished power to an incoming administration. Today, that record has been broken and excelled, by the stunning and unexpected response of President Goodluck, an incumbent to the incoming General Buhari. The only democratic-exercise, that would have come very close, in terms of comparison, to what President Goodluck has today achieved; would have been that of General Ibrahim Babangida, a ‘June 12’ transparent but annulled election, and which eventually dented his tenure.
Today, President Goodluck, with a quick-think and wisdom has escaped fallen into similar entrapment which General Babangida inadvertently fell into. The international community, as a result, have graciously and in return catapulted his name to the status of statesman.
Great and successful leaders, the world over , come from the camp of good listeners.
Chuks Mbata[London]
Pres jonathan is a victim of this man failure, his rogue govt subverted democracy, suppressed the press murdered opposition did all manner of evil with nothing to show but propaganda but they blamed the greatest leader of nigeria for their error may God forgive them
This , coming from somone who did his utmost best to subvert the Nigerian constitution in a failed effort to extend his term.
I amuse myself by wondering what OBJ would have done if he were Jonathan . Can anyone imagine OBJ sitting down and penning a consession speech? I can’t see it even in a million years
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