The Obasanjo Letters: From Jonathan, NASS To Buhari

Before the much talked about letter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari calling on him not to run for the Presidency in 2019, Obasanjo had written letters to others before now.

On December 2, 2013, Obasanjo in a letter entitled; “Before it is too late”, wrote Buhari’s predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, outlining measures he needed to take to ‘salvage’ his Presidency.

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Part of the letter read: “I am constrained to make this an open letter to you for a number of reasons. One, the current situation and consequent possible outcome dictate that I should, before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest, alert you to the danger that may be lurking in the corner.

“Two, none of the four or more letters that I have written to you in the past two years or so have elicited an acknowledgement nor any response. Three, people close to you, if not yourself, have been asking, what does Obasanjo want?

“Four, I could sense a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into and the situation we fell into as a nation during the Abacha era.

“Five, everything must be done to guard, protect and defend our fledgling democracy, nourish it and prevent bloodshed.”

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The letter, some said, laid the foundation for Jonathan eventually losing to Buhari in 2015.

Another of Obasanjo’s famous letter was that dated January 13, 2016 to the leadership of the National Assembly.

In that letter, the former president accused the leadership of the National Assembly of not being sensitive to the economic plight of Nigerians by planning to buy cars for themselves.

Obasanjo said a pool cars would have been sufficient to do the committee work, given all the allowances the lawmakers have already collected since their inauguration in June 2015.

The letter was addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

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“While in government, I was threatened with impeachment by the members of the National Assembly for not releasing some money they had appropriated for themselves which were odious and for which there were no incomes to support. The recent issue of cars for legislators would fall into the same category. Whatever name it is disguised as, it is unnecessary and insensitive. A pool of a few cars for each Chamber will suffice for any Committee Chairman or members for any specific duty. The waste that has gone into cars, furniture, housing renovation in the past was mind-boggling and these were veritable sources of waste and corruption. That was why they were abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he wrote.

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