Resign Now, OBJ Tells Yar'adua; Protest In Lagos
Biodun Sowunmi
January 21, 2010 16:27 (2 hours ago),
By Eromosele Ebhomele & Paul Dada
Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo who virtually nominated his ailing successor, Umaru Yar'adua, and imposed him on his party and Nigeria, today asked him to toe the path of honour and morality. Obasanjo clearly avoided the 'R' word, but his listeners filled the gap for him, that he meant that Yar'Adua should go now, by resigning. Obasanjo was prodded at a public event in Abuja, which he chaired today. It was at the 7th Annual Lecture of the Media Trust Newspaper Group. And it was the first public comment by Obasanjo on Yar'adua since the ailing Asked why he imposed Yar'Adua on Nigerians, well aware of his health problem, Obasanjo said he asked for Yar'Adua's medical record in 2006. According to him, the ailing leader showed him medical records that showed that even though he was on dialysis as a kidney patient before, he Yar'Adua was no more on dialysis. ''I gave the report to medical experts who also confirmed that he was fit since he was no longer under dialysis''. Obasanjo explained that he requested for Yar'Adua's medic history because he was aware that the former Katsina Governor spent six months in Nigeria tendering to his kidney problem. He dismissed suggestions that he deliberately picked Yar'adua as his successor because he knew he would not perform. "There is no reason I should do that. What I believe is that if you take a job, elected, appointed whatever it is, and your health starts to fail and you will not be able to satisfy yourself and the people you are supposed to serve, there is the path of honour and morality that you should take. '' His comments came as thousands of Nigerians protested in Lagos over the long absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua from office. Today marks the 59th day since he left the country for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. The protest, which was titled 'Enough is Enough' and convened by the Save Nigeria Group, was led by the General Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare. Other prominent Nigerians, who joined the group to protest, include General Alani Akinrinade (retd.), Chief Ayo Opadokun, Barrister Mike Igini and Prof. Shola Adeyeye. Others were Hon. Babatunde Ogala of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Publicity Secretary of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Yinka Odumakin, his wife, Dr. Joe-Okei Odumakin, President of the West African Bar Association, Femi Falana and Mr. Sam Asemota (SAN). Popular comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka and Charles Oputa (Charly Boy) were also at the rally. Speaking before the protest started, Pastor Bakare urged Nigerians to stand for their rights. While tasking the country's citizens to realise that sovereighty lies in their hands, Pastor Bakare said: "Nigerian people, shine your eyes, because the government has a way of institutionalising fraud and lies. "A little while ago, they were shouting amnesty instead of solving the problems of the Niger Delta. "The people in Niger Delta are not prisoners who need amnesty. Rather, those who need amnesty are the People's Democratic Party people in Abuja." He lamented that Nigerians are now faced with inhuman situation just because of the absence of one person. "The truth of the matter is that the engine of the state has knocked. All the internal parts are broken. "The constitution they are relying upon is no longer working. You cannot fix it by repairing it, the manufacturers are no more producing that engine and there are no parts for it anywhere. "The only solution is for a brand new engine." He asked Nigerians to reclaim their lost glory and destiny. "Until you bring Umaru and Obasanjo down to the ground and PDP down to the ground, nothing will take place," he asserted. He accused ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of institutionalising corruption in the country. Bakare reminded Nigerians that while on the campaign for Yar'Adua's presidency, Chief Obasanjo told the country that the then would-be president only had catarrh. "He took a telephone and called him: 'Umoru, are you dead?' "Let this magician (Obasanjo) take his phone again and call Umoru. Let him bring back the sick president." The man of God rained curses on all those who did not wish the country well, including the ex-president. The former chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, Chief Ayo Opadokun, said the senate is inviting the "Nigerian style of the orange revolution," due to the way they have handled the issue of the president's absence so far. Opadokun who spoke with P.M.News urged Nigerians to gather in millions and march to the National Assembly and picket the members. "They should be forced to listen and work in accordance with the yearning of the Nigerian people," he said. He said the inaction of the lawmakers was a ploy to safeguard the dubious advantage they already possess. "They came through a flawed election and to sustain themselves, they have to remain in the enclave of evil," he said. He said the impression created by the PDP that the vice president, Goodluck Jonathan, was already acting in place of the president was false. Hon. Ogala, who also addressed the crowd, said he was always ashamed to tell people that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, was his classmate. Ogala said: "Our senior colleagues in Abuja have been letting us down. What they claim they have resolved to do is spend our money by going to Saudi Arabia to see the sick president. "What would they do after seeing him? Are they the medical doctors that would treat him? "I have told Nigerians that they should ask Yar'Adua to stop trafficking his children as wives of governors. "Incidentally, Aondoakaa is my classmate but even as lawyers, we are ashamed of him." While Falana threatened that the protesters would go to sleep at the National Assembly to force the members into action, Alhaji Shettima Yerima of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) urged Nigerians not to see the protest as a southern agenda. According to him, the Northerners have ruled the country for over 30 years since independence with nothing to show for it.
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