Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has received a reprimand from the presidency over his alleged plot to mobilize fellow former Nigerian leaders to pass a vote of no confidence in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who did not expressly name Obasanjo, described the former president as an “agent provocateur” who has been known as “an antagonist of Buhari for a number of years”.
Adesina stated this while berating critics of the incumbent administration, including the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), for allegedly hiding under the umbrella of insecurity in the country to display their hatred of President Buhari’s government.
This is contained in an article titled, “Hiding under the umbrella of insecurity”, the latest installment of his weekly column, “From The Inside…Fridays With Femi Adesina”.
Read Also: 870,000 Ukrainians Return Amid Deteriorating Food Security – UN
Adesina wrote, “There was a story that made the rounds over the weekend. A former military leader, who also became a democratically elected President for two terms, has been reportedly mobilizing all living former leaders to pass a vote of no confidence in President Buhari, due to the county’s security challenges. It was reported that only Gen Yakubu Gowon baulked at the idea, and opted out.
“I have been waiting for the story to be debunked, but it hasn’t happened. Let’s then assume that it is true. The agent provocateur has been known as an antagonist of Buhari for a number of years. In fact, he publicly wrote a letter in 2018, commanding the President to “dismount from the horse,” and allow another rider to mount. The incumbent demurred. Is it not democracy? Let’s test our strength at the polls.
“The former leader mobilized against Buhari, publicly endorsing his former deputy in office, whom he had earlier destroyed and treated like something the cat dragged in. The election came, and they were all beaten black and blue. How does he then think Nigerians will accept his constant haranguing of government as something actuated by positive motives? It is sour grapes, pure and simple.
Adesina noted that while Nigeria under Buhari was at “war”, the administration took up the gauntlet and has been doing the utmost to secure lives and property of Nigerians.
He berated a section of the media for twisting his words out of context.
“Does Nigeria have security challenges? Severe ones. I’ve always said it, while adding that the government was taking up the gauntlet.
“Two weeks ago, after the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train by terrorists, I wrote that Nigeria was actually at war. It was, however, silly and idiotic to see a newspaper twist that piece in a news story, writing; ‘Femi Adesina finally admits that Nigeria is at war.’ Otiose. Witless. Illiterate. Who does not know that our country had been at war against insurgency since 2009, when Boko Haram manifested in the Northeast?
“But we leave those who twist every word to continue to contort themselves, till they completely get out of shape, tying themselves up in a labyrinth. It will serve them right,” Adesina wrote.