Jan. 2, 2014
ABUJA- Former Nigerian Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode says it is former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s responsibility to help rid the country of President Goodluck Jonathan since he imposed him on the Nigerian people. He said this in defense of the former president’s open letter to the president. “He more than anybody else has the responsibility- if he doesn’t want to be judged harshly by history to ensure that Goodluck Jonathan does not come back in 2015”, he said.
Speaking on Sahara TV Mr. Kayode was full of praise for Former President Obasanjo calling his action courageous. “This is a man I’ve known for the past 11 years. He is not the type of man that will say something that he doesn’t mean”. Mr. Kayode said he believes the letter was written out of deep concern for the country.
On the alleged 1000-man hit list referred to in the letter, Mr. Kayode said he believes Mr. Obasanjo speaks with conviction and that the government has been challenged in the letter to deny the allegation.
Mr. Kayode who describes himself as a close associate of the former president however opted not to comment on a letter that made the rounds after the fabled letter purported to be written by Obasanjo’s estranged daughter Iyabo Obasanjo. “These are personal issues which do not in any way concern me”, he said.
Mr. Kayode said Mr. Obasanjo is father of the nation and has stood up to speak in crucial times when nobody had the temerity to do so. He debunked any suggestion that Mr. Obasanjo was considering unseating President Jonathan saying the former President is totally committed to democracy. He said Obasanjo’s aim is to protect democracy by ensuring that the president acts in a “sensible democratic manner”.
Speaking on another letter written by Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi, Mr. Kayode commended the governor for exposing the rot. In the letter, Mr. Sanusi claimed that about $49 billion which was supposed to be deposited with the bank has not reached the exchequer. He however suggested that Sanusi should have resigned his position as a matter of principle.
He also said that the APC’s bid to unseat the Jonathan government should include an alliance with power brokers like Obasanjo.
“You cannot be serious about winning power in Nigeria without talking to an Obasanjo or a Babangida or all these people”, he said. He also said PDP is likely to rig the Osun and Ekiti State as well as the 2015 federal elections but If that happens people are likely to take matters into their own hands.
He concluded by congratulating Sahara Reporters for breaking the story on the Stella Oduah car scandal.
