Onyeiwu: If I were OBJ or GEJ‏

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LIKE many Nigerians, I read former
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s (OBJ) letter
to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
(GEJ) with trepidation. Before proceeding
to the substance of my article, I wish to
say that, if I were OBJ, I would be proud of
my plethora of accomplishments. First, I
would be proud of successfully
shepherding two transitions to democracy
in 1979 and 2007. Second, I would pat
myself on the back for bringing Nigeria
back into the comity of nations, after
years of pariah status under the inglorious
regime of General Sani Abacha. I might
even pop champagne for skillfully getting
Nigeria’s creditors to pare down its
excruciating external debt to a
sustainable level.
    Would I have written an 18-page letter
to GEJ, if I were OBJ? Absolutely yes, but
not as an open letter.  I believe that the
openness of OBJ’s letter, rather than
resolve the issues, would have the effect
of causing more rancour. I would have
written those missives as talking points for
a very private meeting with GEJ. I don’t
want to believe, for a minute, that OBJ
does not have access to GEJ. He could
easily have pulled GEJ aside during one of
those widely publicized worships at the
Aso Rock chapel, and request a very
confidential/urgent meeting. After
securing such a meeting, I would press
home the issues in my talking points.
Considering that GEJ is a very busy
president, I would prioritize my talking
points, else I won’t get to the important
ones, by the time his aides come knocking
on the door to inform me my time is up.
    In my meeting with GEJ, I wouldn’t talk
about the “dormancy” of the economy at
all. The Nigerian economy has been
growing at a robust rate of about 6%
annually, compared to a global average of
around 3%. Nigeria is now considered as
one of the fastest-growing economies in
the world. Such an economy cannot be
described as “dormant,” by any stretch of
the imagination. What I would discuss
with Mr. President is the non-inclusivity of
growth in Nigeria. I would express my
concerns about how an increasing
number of youths and adults are still
selling recharge cards to survive; how
young and elderly women are roasting
corn and plantain under intense heat from
the sun; how some university graduates
are operating “okada” or “Keke NAPEP,”
and how the number of street hawkers
has been growing each day. Rather than
fret about what our international “friends”
and “development” partners are saying
about Nigeria, I would emphasize the
plight of those Nigerians who are
struggling to eke out a living. If I were
OBJ, I wouldn’t focus too much on this
“dormancy” issue because: the Nigerian
economy under GEJ is no worse than the
economy under OBJ.
    In my talking points with Mr. President,
I won’t waste time on the issue of his
kinsmen fanning the embers of ethnicity.
People say all kinds of things, often
without the President’s knowledge, to
curry favour or draw attention. Any Ijaw
man can say that GEJ must be re-elected;
otherwise, heaven will fall. Rather than
being taken seriously, this statement can
only be regarded as a “beer-parlour and
pepper soup” talk. It has no real
consequence in the body-politick. I
remember one prominent northerner who,
in 1999, said he would go on exile if OBJ
was not elected president. That person
quickly clinched a strategic portfolio in
OBJ’s government. Yes, “pay-to-play
politics” can be rewarding!
   Another issue I would expunge from my
talking points is the claim that GEJ is in
the habit of supporting opposition
gubernatorial candidates, at the
detriment of PDP candidates. You see, in
politics there is an important distinction
between ideology and pragmatism. It is
essential for a political party to have a
well-articulated ideological orientation, but
that is not sufficient to win elections. The
party must display astute pragmatism,
and in a very strategic way. There is
nothing wrong with GEJ forging strategic
alliances with opposition parties in states
the PDP is not competitive. Short of
rigging elections, the only way you can
win a presidential election in those states
is to court the opposition. Since all politics
is local, a la Tipper O’Neil, a presidential
candidate must reach out to those with
grass-root political structures.
   If I were OBJ, I would raise the issue of
corruption, though in a very measured
manner. After all, I was also criticized for
not reining in corruption during my
regime. Indeed, I was accused of using
the EFCC to prosecute my political
enemies, while shielding my corrupt
friends and aides. I would advise the
president on how to fight corruption, as
well as give him tips on how I managed to
nail Tafa Balogun, the former Inspector-
General of Police.
  After raising my concerns with GEJ, I will
give him time, perhaps a couple of
months, to reflect on the very serious
issues I raised in my talking points. If he
does not seem to be addressing my
concerns satisfactorily, I will tell him
pointblank that I won’t be supporting his
nomination as the PDP presidential
candidate. I will then work with others
within the PDP to recruit and nurture a
candidate to challenge GEJ at the
primaries. There is nothing wrong with
sponsoring a challenger who shares your
principles and ideology. It is not about
who is your friend or enemy; it’s about
who will be the kind of president Nigeria
deserves. The late Senator Ted Kennedy
and current Secretary of State John Kerry
did not support Hilary Clinton during the
Democratic presidential primaries in 2008,
though both men were very close to the
Clinton family.
   If I were OBJ and I support a challenger
who eventually clinches the PDP
nomination, problem solved! If GEJ wins,
however, I would consider doing one of
two things. In the spirit of party solidarity,
I might let bygones be bygones and
reconcile with him.  I would hitch a
helicopter ride to Otuoke to congratulate
him personally. As the saying goes, there
are no permanent friends or enemies in
politics.  But I won’t be front and centre
campaigning for him during the 2015
presidential elections, as I did in 2011.
Alternatively, I may surreptitiously
campaign against him during the
elections, and support the APC
presidential candidate. This won’t be
unprecedented; Ronald Reagan was
known to have quietly supported Bill
Clinton in the 1992 presidential election
against George H.W. Bush, Reagan’s vice
president.
    Now is the turn of GEJ. If I were GEJ, I
would remain very calm in the face of an
obviously very provocative and animating
letter. But I won’t regard the scathing
letter as career-ending, as some have
insinuated. That said, I would have
restrained Dr. Reuben Abati from issuing a
terse and intemperate response to OBJ’s
letter. While some aspects of OBJ’s letter
are self-serving, like the reference to the
Olokola and Brass LNG projects and the
Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation,
others are not. The allegations about the
so-called Kashamu, if true, are ominous
and disturbing. The Tinubu allegation is
also very serious, for it raises the question
of whose money was used to “settle”
him?  If I were GEJ, I will definitely
respond to these serious allegations
sooner or later. Perhaps more
exasperating is the alleged watch-list of
1000 political enemies.
   The tone of Abati’s response is
inconsistent with GEJ’s persona as a calm,
reasonable and peace-loving president.
This meek image has resonated very well
with members of the international
community, including Nigerians in the
Diaspora. If I were GEJ, I would have
asked Abati to issue the following
statement instead: “President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan wishes to acknowledge
the receipt of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s
letter. While appreciating some of Chief
Obasanjo’s suggestions, the President
vehemently disputes the veracity of
several of the accusations in the letter.
Those allegations are not only grossly
untrue, but also very provocative. As
President and Commander-in-Chief, the
last thing Dr. Jonathan wishes to do is
engage in a media spat with Chief
Obasanjo, whom he respects very much.
At the appropriate time and venue,
President Jonathan will respond to the
issues raised by Chief Obasanjo.”
Since I am neither OBJ nor GEJ, all I can
do is to implore our two Excellences to try
and resolve their differences amicably.
Nigeria will be better served if they work
together than if they remain acrimonious.