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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday said some persons aspiring to be Nigeria’s President in 2023 should be in jail had the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission performed its job efficiently.
Obasanjo stated this during an international symposium to mark his 85th birthday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Speaking during the well-attended event with the theme, ‘Africa Narrative with Nigeria Situation’, the ex-President and strongman of Hilltop Towers also said though many presidential hopefuls have visited him to solicit support for their tall ambition, he has not endorsed any aspirant for the much-exalted seat in Aso Rock.
He said, “As the quadrennial madness builds a head of steam and the runners and riders crisscross the nation in the quest for nomination as the party flag bearer to the highest office in the land, I read and hear about endorsement and statements in support of candidates that I frankly have not made and forming next political parties that I can never get involved in. I was told that social media credited to me the names of three people from the south that I am sponsoring for the Presidency in 2023.
“My friend, Professor Ango Abdullah, who brought this to my knowledge remarked that he did not believe that I made such a statement because it was out of my character. I have neither named names nor stated my position. In a situation like the one we are in, I will not rush into naming names without necessary consultations and well-defined principles and criteria. We need to be clear about what Nigeria needs today and why Nigeria needs it. Only then can we answer the question of how that will inform us of the criteria and characteristics for determining who.”
Continuing, the celebrant said some 2023 presidential aspirants should be in jail had the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission done their jobs effectively.
Obasanjo said, “Since 1999, we have changed from one political party or another we have maneuvered and manipulated to the point that election results are no longer reflections of the will of the people and we seemed to be progressively going back rather than going forward politically, economically and socially.
“We have activities without requiting actions and personnel to move us forward. If we continue in the same pattern of recycling, sweet-word campaigning, maneuvering without the substance of integrity, honesty, patriotism, commitment, outreach, courage, understanding of what makes a nation and what makes for development, we will soon have to say goodbye to Nigeria as a nation.
“I cast a cursory look at some of the people running around and those for whom people are running around. If EFCC and ICPC will have done their jobs properly and been supported adequately by the judiciary, most of them would be in jail. Any person who has no integrity in small things cannot have integrity in big things.”