THE former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has reeled out why Nigerians should not listen to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo on his assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in office.
The former president had advised Nigerians not to re-elect President Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the coming presidential poll slated for 2019.
Mr Obasanjo said the President and his party have failed to meet up to expectation, hence the need to kick them out in the next election.
He had on January urged the president to shelve the thoughts of a second term in office, citing underperformance.
Making a veiled reference to the Buhari-led government, the former president noted that the administration was indulging in giving excuses, arguing that the current administration would not have been voted into power if there were no challenges to address.
But Kalu who defied the “no entry” statement of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, leading his Peace Advocacy Tour to the state on Sunday, urged Nigerians not to listen to the former Nigerian leader because he never listened to advised while he was in power.
The former Abia governor who is the acting chairman of the advisory board for the National Movement for the Reelection of President Buhari, led his team to Ekiti in continuation of the tour to garner support for the President.
“Obasanjo is the most incompetent former president and so had no locus standi to describe any government as being corrupt in the country.
“Nigerians should tell former President Obasanjo to stop writing frivolous letters.
“It was sad that some who behaved badly while in government by not listening to advice could talk like this.
“Let me tell you emphatically that President Buhari will contest again, don’t listen to letter writers like Obasanjo. Obasanjo has been president twice, so he should keep his letter in Otta for himself.
“If anyone will caution President Buhari, it should not be Obasanjo. If you check your records very well, he remains the most corrupt president ever,” Kalu said.
Continuing he said, “He (Obasanjo) came into office with less than N20,000 and he later built multi billion naira Otta Farm, Library Project and the Hilltop Mansion.
“That is why somebody like me is in Ekiti to tell our people not to listen to Obasanjo.
“The economy was in comatose when this government came on board, today President Buhari has raised the foreign reserve from $23 billion to as much as $47 billion while the menace of Boko Haram has been defeated.
“So, some people are out to destabilise his government. We want Nigerians to embrace love, peace and show understanding,” he added.
A statement from the Ekiti State government on Saturday had warned Mr. Kalu and his Peace Advocacy Tour to stay away from the state.
The government instead urged him to visit other troubled states of Benue, Taraba and other sections of the country in dire need of peace.
Reacting, Kalu said, “My attention was called from Ondo State on Saturday that Governor Fayose said I should not come to Ekiti, Fayose is my boy, he can’t stop me from coming. He is my boy and he knows he can’t stop me on anything.
“Governor Fayose was in my house for 90 days after he was impeached, he is my friend but he has gone beyond his limit by saying a bonafide elder statesman like me should not come to Ekiti.
“Fayose was in my state, Abia last week, nobody said he should not come, so I have declared war on him. Even if I sleep on the floor, I will still defeat Fayose on any issue.”
On the Ekiti July 14 governorship poll, Mr Kalu urged Ekiti delegates to vote wisely, by voting an aspirant who had the political network and dexterity to defeat Mr Fayose.
He promised to work hard to ensure that APC emerged victorious at the 2018 governorship poll, so that the battle could be easier for the party in the 2019 presidential election.
Kalu was received by an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant and former speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Femi Bamisile, at his home from where he addressed the party supporters.
