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Third term: Obasanjo begins campaign

Festus Owete, Olusola Fabiyi (Abuja), Semiu Okanlawon and Olayinka Oyebode

As opposition continues to mount over President Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged third term agenda, there are indications that he might flag-off the campaign in January 2006.

A senior Federal Government official, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday that the President was pushing ahead with the agenda, in the interest of the country.

He said that ministers, special advisers and other senior officials of the Federal Government had already been directed to coordinate the campaign in their respective states. Besides, a subtle move is on to convince the armed forces and other critical segments of the polity to support the bid.

The 36 state governors are not left out as many of them have been coerced into endorsing the bid. The source said that many of them had expressed support because they were afraid that if they didn’t, Obasanjo would expose them to the same treatment meted out to former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was impeached two weeks ago.

It said it was in order to win the support of Nigerians that Obasanjo announced some months ago that his administration would not raise the prices of fuel till December 2006, adding that the President also intends to fully implement next year’s budget to avoid any problems with the National Assembly.

On the international front, the official said the President would approach the World Bank for endorsement of the third term plan.

He stated that the World Bank would be urged to produce a favourable country report on Nigeria, highlighting the reform programme of the current administration and how it had improved Nigeria’s image tremendously.

The report, which would also state why it is necessary for Obasanjo to remain in office for another four years to enable the programme stabilise, would then be passed on to the international community, especially the United States and Britain, to solicit their support.

It would then be strengthened by a follow-up visit by Obasanjo to both countries where he would inform their leaders about the need for him to stay a bit longer to set the country on a sound footing.

The source told our correspondent that if it becomes difficult for “the President to convince these two powerful countries (US and Britain), then the search for a trusted successor will be intensified next year before the presidential convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, which is likely to come around June.”

He said that it was not true that the President was reluctant to go for a third term, explaining that Obasanjo was tacitly avoiding public comments on the issue because he was worried about how to convince Nigerians and the international community about it.

The source said that top on Obasanjo’s list as possible successors, should the third term bid fail, are the Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu; Senator Jubril Aminu, the governors of Rivers, Bauchi and Nasarawa states, Dr. Peter Odili, Adamu Muazu and Abdullahi Adamu respectively.

The source also said that Obasanjo was not interested in handing over to any retired military officer, especially former military president, Ibrahim Babangida.

“There are reasons Baba (Obasanjo) would not hand over to this man (Babangida). There are fears within government circles that he (Babangida) has not forgiven the President for setting up the panel. This apart, he (Babangida) could be manipulated by the northern oligarchy,” he stated.

He also said that Senator Aminu was quite unlikely as Obasanjo’s successor because the former ambassador to the United States “is too rigid and does not seem to be a thorough politician.”

He said that as it is now, Mantu might be asked to contest for the presidency while Odili would emerge as his running mate.

This combination, he said, was borne out of the fact that the two are very loyal to the leadership of the party and the President believes that they would be ready to take advice from him any time he calls on them after his exit.

Meanwhile, the Presidency on Friday denied any such plan.

Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who issued the denial after a news conference in Lagos, told Saturday Punch that he was not aware of such plans, adding, however, that government would not in any way sanction those for or against the extension.

Earlier, at the press briefing Fani-Kayode faulted former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s counsel to President Obasanjo not to seek a third term agenda saying that the former military ruler was not qualified to advise the president.

Gowon had in a message delivered on his behalf at the Middle Belt Conference held in Abuja on Thursday warned against any attempt to prolong President Obasanjo’s tenure.

Fani-Kayode, however, said that Gowon’s advice was uncalled for.

According to him, “What is the essence of giving advice when the person you are offering the advice has not done anything to suggest that he had any intention whatsoever of doing that thing you are advising him against?

“Secondly, you look at the credentials of the person that is offering the so-called advice. If we are to take stock of those who are qualified to give advice in terms of democracy and democratic process, among those that have ruled the country as military heads of state, the only two that are qualified are Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (as he was then) and Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, because they were the ones that voluntarily handed over power at the time they said they would hand over.

“That cannot be said of Gen. Gowon, Babangida and Abacha. I think it is very strange that somebody who did not leave power when he was supposed to, someone who kept on extending his hand over date until he was pushed out is now the one telling others not to prolong tenure

“Gen. Obasanjo, as he then was, left power in 1979. He did not have to do so. It was the late Gen. Murtala Muhammed that pledged that the administration would hand over government but when Obasanjo succeeded him, he ensured that the hand over was actualised.

“A man that was thrown out of power is now advising someone who voluntarily relinquished power especially when the man who voluntarily relinquished power then is not saying he will not do so again now. If you want to advise Mr President, it is important you do so in good faith and let your hands be clean.”

In a related development, Political Adviser to the President, Prof. Jerry Gana, has explained why Obasanjo has refused to comment publicly on the alleged extension bid.

Gana, who was asked by our correspondent in an interview in Abuja to explain why the President evaded a call-in question on the alleged bid during his monthly interactive television programme, said on Thursday that the President refused to give a definite answer on the matter because nobody would have believed him.

He said the President deliberately kept silent, assuring that at the right time, he would lay the matter to rest by telling Nigerians that he had no third term ambition.

SATURDAY PUNCH, December 31, 2005

http://www.punchng.com/main/article01
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