• Says God is behind Jonathan
•Obasanjo is a monumental failure, insists Adebanjo
IF the words of the Niger State Governor and chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, are anything to go by, the nationwide tour of former military Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), and his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) counterpart, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, are nothing but a sheer waste of time.
Aliyu, who gave the verdict 19 days to the presidential election, asked the duo to forget their ambitions and perish the thought of becoming Nigeria’s next President.
The Niger helmsman spoke even as a chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, chides former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other critics of Governor Gbenga Daniel for not being objective in their appraisal of the government under the out-going governor.
According to the NGF chair, Aliyu declared that it was in the best interest of Nigerians for President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be re-elected on April 9.
He said Jonathan’s victory would preserve the country’s unity and send the right message to its citizens.
Aliyu spoke during the 2011 Ogun State Awards of Excellence, held at the weekend, where eminent citizens of the state were recognised for their outstanding contributions to the state and the success of the Governor Gbenga Daniel-led administration.
Aliyu, who was chairman of the occasion, also commented on the recent political developments in the Gateway State and submitted that Daniel still had the confidence of majority of the people, notwithstanding the opposition from some quarters.
He said: “I gravitated towards OGD because we share certain things in common – how to manage elders. And because he has started it earlier than me, I gravitated towards him to learn.
“When we have former heads of state, former generals (in a state), you need to learn a special way. Where I appear to be succeeding, my teacher appears to be faltering but like I said, it’s a learning process too for teachers.
“Believe me OGD, if you had not won the confidence of your people, with what is going on, you would not have been driving on the streets of Abeokuta.
“I’m happy when you are driving, people still want to see your face. I’m happy that people are very happy with you and please consider what has been happening as part of the growth because I believe God and history has not finished with you yet.”
While reviewing political activities ahead of the forthcoming presidential election, Aliyu expressed dismay at the penchant of some candidates and powerful interests to always whip up ethnic sentiments to curry the favour of the electorate.
He said Nigerians must jettison ethnicity, religious bigotry and other divisive tendencies capable of subverting peaceful co-existence and national unity as the race for the presidency hots up.
According to Aliyu, it was by God’s design that Jonathan became the President after the demise of his former boss, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, pointing out that any attempt to change the order on the altar of ethnic sentiment could spell doom for the country.
His words: “Obasanjo became head of state (in 1976) as a result of the death of Murtala Muhammed. Goodluck Jonathan became the president as a result of the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
“That was done by God; it wasn’t designed by anybody and if God gives somebody such powers, what we can do is to complement and then wait for the appropriate time.
“But where some people think it is theirs and they use every opportunity and every sentiment to make it look like it’s their legitimate right, we must fight it, we must resist it so that every child, no matter the circumstances of his birth, can aspire to become the president of Nigeria.
“We must appreciate these circumstances that the act of divine love and respect for equity, fair play and justice presuppose that we should do everything possible, even those in ACN and in CPC, that this time around, let us give it to Goodluck Jonathan so that we can send the right message to the people.”
He observed that power is given by God just as he warned politicians against making inflammatory utterances in their desperate bid for power.
He said: “Our nation is passing through one of the most challenging phases of our socio-political developments. We must, therefore, sit up and move away from lip service and loose talk about national unity.
“We must individually and collectively act in the appropriate direction by promoting activities that will engender mutual respect, trust and understanding for continued peaceful co-existence, directed against inflammatory and sensational utterances that will incite the people to violence and anarchy that does no one any good.
“I am happy you saw the debate on Friday. The general expectations are, and I’m very happy, that we should have more debate before April 2 so that the people can see the truth.
“Some times when we talk about the truth, some people think we are sentimental about such issues. There are some people that should leave the stage to the younger generation, so that the younger people can lead.
“I want to see a country where every child, irrespective of his or her socio-economy and background, has the right to aspire to the highest position in the land and leadership should not be seen as a birthright or the exclusive preserve of any ethnic or sectional group under any guise.”
Prominent citizens of Ogun State were earlier on Saturday inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta.
They include the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Sir Kessington Adebutu, Chief Alex Onabanjo, Chief Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi and Senator Ayo Otegbola.
Those who were posthumously inducted included Senator Abraham Adesanya, the late Alake of Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede, Chief Simeon Adebo, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
In his remarks, Daniel told the audience that his administration had bequeathed to the state enduring legacies by improving tremendously on every sector and department of the state economy.
He described the awards as an opportunity to reward excellence, especially for those who contributed immensely to making his tenure as governor memorable and colourful.
The governor also commended public servants in the state for maintaining dignified political neutrality as well as commitment to his administration despite the antics of the opposition.
Daniel said: “Almost eight years ago, we proposed from the onset that we would not do what is just convenient, tread only known paths, but chart new course, thereby leaving trails of accomplishment and extending the frontiers of purposeful governance.
“This is what we have been doing for almost eight years, which sometimes have been at a great price to our reputation and all that we stand for.
“We are grateful to the drivers of our all-time award winning intervention programmes such as OGROMA, OGRUMED, OGRUGRAD, OGEGEP, the State Regional Plan and lots more.
“Together, we have brought new meanings and provided a new, fresh vista to governance. Hand-in-hand, we have created abundant possibilities for people to realise their full potential. We have replaced despair with hope; effected paradigm shift in what government can and would do; we have demonstrated beyond doubts that with purposeful leadership and committed followership, nothing is impossible to attain.
The governor enjoined the awardees to rededicate themselves to the task of stimulating further development of the state.
He also launched the modified curricula for the Junior Secondary School (JSS), which incorporates the basic principles of the State Regional Plan and the ‘Rule In Your Environment’ (RIYE) Club.
Adebanjo, at the event, expressed satisfaction about Daniel’s achievements in the last eight years.
He contended that the governor had performed well, irrespective of the misgivings of his detractors.
He also saluted the selflessness and impartiality employed in the selection of the personalities recognised by the state government.
Apparently referring to the raging battle between the governor and the former President, Adebanjo lashed out at critics of Daniel just as he charged the governor not to pander to intimidation.
He said: “I am not a PDP man, but I am a supporter of Otunba Gbenga Daniel. I am one of the remaining relics of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. We support the truth, we support honour, we support integrity and we support performance.
“It is significant that one of those who said you did nothing is among those who have been inducted. So carry on. You have performed very well, irrespective of whatever anybody says.
“Those who passed judgement on your administration have nothing to show for their administration because theirs was a monumental disaster.”
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