By Tunde Abatan
tunde2013abatan@gmail.co, 08165660217
Sometime in 1989 few years before he jumped into the political fray, the late business mogul and winner of the June 12,1993 presidential election,Basorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, in an interactive season at his Abeokuta home told a group of inquisitive journalists who asked him if he is interested in seeking power said, “I am not interested .having put their mouth in politics,the military are not likely to relinquish it. “.
This answer obviously captured the mind of both serving or former military rulers who kept on intruding or even seek power directly through the soap box or influencing who takes what in the countrys 61 years old nationhood.
Hence, Abiola was right that after tasting power since they appear on the national stage in 1966 their love for power is akin to Siamese twins. They always want a slice of the action in spite of having handed over power to civilians thrice..
Ironically, they kept on coming back and leaving the country worse -off than they met it.
It is ironic that in spite of Abiolas confessed fears, he still stuck his neck into the arena of power even when the number one position was occupied by his friend, Ibrahim Babangida,the self- styled military president.
At the end of the day, Abiola got swallowed by his military friends passion for politics.
He became a costly scape goat of their penchant for coveting power.
Was Abiola wise in sticking his business empire,influence and ultimately his Life and losing all in spite of his Fears?
Did he forget those fears when he jumped into the political train in 1992 or simply allowed the craving for power become his nemesis.
One of those military rulers who has not let go his craving for power in and out of office is Olusegun Obasanjo,three times head of state and President .
Just to confirm Abiolas fears, after the death of General Sanni Abacha, the retired military class led by General Theopillus Yakubu Danjuma,insisted that only a retired general- turned civilian could succeed then head of state,General Abdusalam Abubakar.
According to them, Nigeria coming out of fifteen years of military rule could not afford to entrust power to a full -fledged civilian like Olu Falae who came second to Obasanjo in the 1999 Presidential elections.
At a stage when the Yoruba political elite pitched their tent with Falae,Danjuma arrogantly declared that he will proceed on exile if Obasanjo is not allowed to assume power.
In whatever way you look at it,Obasanjo reaped from his godfather military colleagues who were obviously protecting their personal interests.
It is noteworthy that even when he was in power as President between 1999-2007, Obasanjo still wield power and crave for who is qualified to rule his backyard Owu kingdom having continued to play his role as Balogun of Owu and Ekerin Egba.
At a stage during the race for who succeeds his late monarch, Oba Adisa Odeleye, whom he helped to power in 1994, Obasanjo tore into shreds the nomination sheet, handed over to him by seven Owu kingmakers, for not picking his preferred choice.
That is the extent the civil war general love and crave for power .
Even within Owu- a community within the larger Egba land represent a miniscule of his entire Nigerian territory over which providence helped him to preside thrice both as military head of state between 1976-1979 and a two term tenure as civilian President , he still covet power however small or limited such powers are…he must determine who gets what.
Today,fifteen years after he relinquish power to a civilian President for the second time in his 88 years life span, Obasanjos heart has not left the seat neither has his mind through the periodic intervention in national politics both through his Letter writing vocation -a vocation he started since 1985 when he wrote a bitting letter to Buhari and the late General Tunde Idiagbon regime accusing them of parceling the country to political ,economic and military ruling groups.
Today, he has not stop intruding in the affairs of the political parties especially the PDP through which he climbed to power as civilian President though he claimed to have left partisan politics.
Such is the style of statesmen of her ilk,who intervene periodically claiming to serve national interest and not wanting to allow the house they built collapse before their very eyes.
Again,today Obasanjo has in the last three months been involved in covert political moves either by hosting members of his enstranged People’s Democratic Parry,PDP,which leaders once again besieged him to lead them in the race to occupy Aso rock,the seat of power they left seven years ago.
Penultimate week,he also played host to Northern Elders Forum,- an elite power broking group led by Professor Ango Abdullahi,a former Ahmadu Bello University, Vice Chancellor known for his rabid Northern supremacy views.
Their motive though not clearly stated is how to ensure the house of Nigeria they covet does not break on their head or to recruit Obasanjo known to be their friend to retain power or influence who takes over power in 2023.
In all this, both the PDP,Northern Elders and retired military Generals and Obasanjo has one goal…to determine who occupies Asọ Rock in 2023.
Before now, it will be recalled that in 2014 at the birth of opposition party,the All Progressives Congress,APC, Obasanjo it was who reportedly told the new party leaders among who was Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, not to pick his former vice,Abubakar Atiku,then a major contender for the Presidential candidacy of the party.
He had severally accused Atiku of monumental graft when they were both in power,and hence not fit to rule.
In compliance with Obasanjos stance, APC leaders led by Asiwaju Tinubu,once Obasanjos foe when the later was in power, rallied behind Muhammadu Buhari and install him as President having failed thrice to get to power.
Again,three years down the line and after three bitting Letters which catalogue Buharis failures and his Islamisation and Fulanisation agenda, Obasanjo openly endorsed a ‘ born again and repentant ‘Atiku saying he will perform better than Buhari.
Not surprisingly, Obasanjos open endorsement of Atiku was done in the presence of two clergy men of note…fiery critic Bishops Hassan Matthew Kukah and David Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel.
At the end of the day,Atiku,then Obasanjos favourite in spite of pulling all the rugs from Buharis feet, failed to defeat the incumbent.
Again today,with barely twelve months into next year’s Presidential election,Atiku has once again ran to Obasanjo in earnest before the commencement of his own Presidential consultations by visiting Obasanjo in his presidential library.
It is interesting that all the aspirants beginning from Tinubu,Bukola Saraki,Pius Anyim and Kalu have all taken their campaign first to the elite power brokers and first class traditional rulers in different parts of the country either for their support or endorsement.
Though many of our retired military men and generals have left office yet they still crave power.
While Obasanjo claimed to have left partisan politics but now play the role of a statesman, it is curious that till date no other aspirant from other parties aside PDP has gone to him for consultation.
Is Obasanjo still a symphatiser of the opposition PDP or godfather to the party and it’s candidates.
If this is true, while he is claiming non partisanship, it is true he is finding it difficult to remove his heart from a party on which platform he rode to power his tearing of his membership card nothwithstanding.
Will Obasanjo give equal attention to other parties to complement his statesman role ?
While it is clear that the farmer turn statesman is through with the ruling party having said nothing good again can come from it’s leader Buhari, is he now rallying the opposition again as he did in 2014 to change power in the country to prove his godfather role?
After the elections,will Obasanjo retain his relevance in National politics and still be able to determine who gets what or direction of state policies?
Indeed,the next few months to the next general elections will be interesting for it’s intrigues and power play.
Interesting days lies ahead of our modern day godfathers.
