Tanko Yakasai Blasts Obasanjo Over Comments Against Jonathan  Elder statesman and Political Adviser to ex-President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has berated former President Olusegun Obasanjo over comments credited to him in Dutse on Democracy Day calling for a change of leadership and describing President Ggoodluck Jonathan’s government as a failure. Obasanjo who delivered a key-note address during the opening ceremony of the first Jigawa Investment and Economic Summit threw jibes at Jonathan’s administration and made comments suggesting his endorsement of Governor Sule Lamido come 2015 Presidential Election. The Presidency is angry with Chief Obasanjo not only because he shunned the Democracy Day celebration in Aso Rock and chose to spend the day in Dutse Jigawa state, but because the former President used the occasion to vent his anger on President Jonathan who of late have been keeping arms length from Obasanjo. However, some eminent Nigerians have continued to condemn Obasanjo’s statement against President Jonathan on Democracy Day and among them is Yakasai. Yakasai in a Press Statement made available to Pointblanknews in Kano Quoted Obasanjo’s ill-conceived comment against Jonathan thus: “you can help someone to get a job but you can’t help that person do the job,” and wondered why Obasanjo should use such “unpalatable utterances” against President Jonathan. “The unpalatable utterances of our former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo ostensibly directed on President Goodluck Jonathan which he made in the cause of his speech as special guest of honour at Ddutse, where he was reported to have said ‘you can help someone to get a job but you can’t help that person do the job.’ He also used the occasion to underrate the achievements of the Jonathan administration especially in the area of macro-economic growth. “The former President who was himself in office for eight years was also reported to have said that the road that leads into Dutse is better than the Lagos-Ibadan express way, forgetting that the two roads he referred to are all federal roads, as if that blame should go to the present federal administration, which has only been in office for two years. “General Obasanjo being a former President and high-ranking leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is the party in power at the Federal level in the country has every opportunity to seek audience with President Goodluck Jonathan and either offer him whatever advice he has to offer or criticize any policy of his administration that he has cause to disagree with. I think that is what is expected of any statesman, particularly people of the caliber of General Obasanjo. “People close to him say when ever General Obasanjo disagrees with a person, he will carry the fight to his place of worship, to his dining table and sometimes, he will even be fighting the person in his dream. He is reported to be unforgiving and his method of disagreement with people is sometimes regarded as a matter of life and death. “To me as a patriotic Nigerian, a democracy day celebration is hardly a suitable occasion for any citizen to make a personal attack on his country’s leader. Whatever differences exist between them, such should have been solved amicably. General Obasanjo and I enjoy tremendous goodwill and mutual respect. “I respect him as the former President of my country, and he accords me some measure of respect as his elder. It is in this spirit that I would like to appeal to the former President to pursue political differences with some decency and decorum. That is what normally is expected of a man of General Obasanjo’s caliber. “Despite our difference with NPC leaders during the First Republic, we NEPU leaders as members of the opposition to the NPC never took our political differences with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa or Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto to the level of attacking their personalities. In the light of this and as a veteran politician, I would appeal to President Obasanjo to adopt decorum, tolerance and statesmanship standard in the pursuit of his political differences with others. This is the most honourable path for a man of his stature,” Yakasai stated.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:45:00 +0000
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