Former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the weekend took on former Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon for describing him as "highly irresponsible" for criticising President Goodluck Jonathan's 'weak' approach to the insecurity in the North-East.
General Gowon used the phrase on Obasanjo at the launch of a book, Stay At The Top, authored by a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Omoniyi Komolafe, last week. Gowon's remark was captured in the media thus: "Obasanjo is highly irresponsible to have made such comments about the present government. Many people have condemned what he (Obasanjo) did in Odi and Zaki Biam. So, it was irresponsible for him to defend it or accuse the present administration."
The former Head of State referred to Obasanjo's response to a question on the Boko Haram crisis in Warri recently, where Obasanjo said there was need for President Jonathan to be decisive in tackling the insecurity, just as he did in dealing with the militancy in Odi, Bayelsa State in 1999.
In a statement last night, Obasanjo, through his spokesman, Malam Garba Deen Mohammed, said, Obasanjo was shocked by General Gowon's comments, wondering, "When did General Gowon become the spokesman of the Jonathan administration?"
Garba Deen quoted Obasanjo as saying, "There's nothing irresponsible about my comments on the insecurity in Nigeria. I was only interpreting the reality. I expressed an opinion on the way the Boko Haram crisis is being handled and said if the current strategy is not working, then there has to be a change of strategy to achieve results. If the strategy were working, Boko Haram would have become a thing of the past by now." It said further that, "In expressing my opinion, I drew from my personal experience. General Gowon can disagree with me without being insultive. Gowon's comment is unkind, unfair, and unguarded."
The statement added that as a result of his commitment to end the insecurity, Obasanjo left his abode in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to Maiduguri, the Boko Haram enclave, to solicit for peace and dialogue with the sect. "Where was Gowon? Why has he not visited Maiduguri to solicit for peace? Is he not a leader of the North? What effort has he made to ensure an end to the crisis?" Obasanjo queried in his statement.
It added that, "Just two weeks ago, the government of Borno State came out in the open to declare that it had been abandoned by the Federal Government. Why didn't Gowon convince the Federal Government to help Maiduguri?"
At the time General Gowon made the remarks, Obasanjo was playing host to several northern governors in Abeokuta where the foundation stone was laid for a mosque, Islamiya School and staff quarters for the Imam and teachers at the mosque located in the Obasanjo Presidential Library. More than N350 million was raised at the event.
Some of the governors who attended the event included Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Alhaji Saidu Usman Dankingari of Kebbi State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, representatives of many governors, former governors, and leaders of the National Assembly.
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Obasanjo is like a hydra-headed virus. He is the true "Old Soldier never die". I knew all along from the time he was in the Army Corps of Engineers and a recruiter for the Nigerian Army that this fairly cunning fat looking officer had lots of negativity in him How dare this man berate our dearly beloved General Yakubu Gowon? Obasanjo reaps where others sow. Similar to the events at my backyard, lots of fruits there but all the trees are in my neighbors yard. The branches bearing the fruits(mangoes, Avogado Pears, etc) are all bent over my yard but non for the owner. Obasanjo becomes President by default all the time. Today, he has the guts to insult his boss.
I have never been a fan of OBJ As he has always proved untrustworthy and undeserving of any serious attention. But it will be nice to always state the truth in judging our "leaders". Obasanjo's contribution to the nations development cannot be overlooked, despite little education he was able to put together very good brains and advisers (though there must be a judas in every 12) especially on matters relating to the economy and security of which I do not know what have been built on the foundation laid down by him.
Even though I expect OBJ take have called GEJ on the issue on Boko Haram, Economy and security before dragging him to the court of public opinion. Though OBJ comment on Jonathan if properly weighed on scale could be said to be balanced the timing obviously could be said to be a Inappropriate and a calculated attempt to expose GEJ "sore" before the public in an apparent vendetta.
As for Gowon, I am sure he should bury his face in shame as he has not contributed to our current generation. What has he contributed to the nationa development in the last 20 years? OBJ was bold to visit the north (gowon's base ) to find a solution the s
I wouldn't know that General Yakubu Gowon is a beloved one in some parts of Nigeria. Here is an opportunists who breached Aburi Accord and led the nation into an unnecessary war of genocide.To win that war he had to cede our people of Bakassi and their ancestral land to the Bantus of Cameroon. General Yakubu Gowon was privy to the murder of his own boss,General Aguiyi Ironsi.His Chief of Staff too. The bastard allowed himself to be used as a tool by the Hausa/Fulani Oligarchys against us.But today his own people,the Christian minorities of the North are the victims of the current incipient genocide up North. That is a divine justice in making. Gowon's One Nigeria is indeed a boomerang for him. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's uncouth diatribe directed against President Jonathan was indeed highly irresponsible of him.His braggadocio and gloating over Odi genocide,Gbaramatu and Zaki Ibiam pogroms which he ordered exposed him for what he really is. The Chief is a narcissist and a megalomainiac.He is simply sick upstairs.
Please people Aground the world stop killing each others lets does just selves our problem peacefully, there is is no humann being eat others like him.