For the immediate past president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, this is certainly not the best of times. Since May 29, last year when he left office, peace has literally eluded him. Arguably, not even the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha attracted such public opprobrium after his regime like Obasanjo. The Ota farmer has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion.

But his ordeal has further proved that failure is an orphan, while success has many parents. This reality explains why nobody wants to identify with him of late.
Analysts argue that the development has exposed the attitude and character of the average Nigerian politician who can continue to play along with a leader so long as he still remains in power. As it appears, virtually all those who rallied round Obasanjo when he superintended over Nigeria, actually, never believed in him but were either afraid to express it or reluctant because of their pecuniary interests.

The question on the lips of many is – where are Obasanjo’s ministers, advisers and all those who worked with him? Many are surprised that most, if not all his ministers have distanced themselves from him with none making any attempt to defend the actions of their boss.
Among critical observers, the belief is that the former president did not carry his subordinates along, hence, took unilateral decisions most of the time. Some also argue that he stepped on the toes of many of those who served in his government with the calculation that now may be a pay back time for him.

Recently, two of his ministers, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mrs Oby Ezekwesili appeared before the House of Representatives committee probing the power sector between 1999 and 2007. Giving testimonies before the committee, both women who are now top shots of the World Bank agreed that due process was not followed in the disbursement of funds to the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).
Iweala, who started with Obasanjo as finance minister and ended as Foreign Affairs Minister said her former boss, acting on the advice of then power and Steel Minister, Lyel Imoke, instructed her to waive the due process requirements in the release of funds to NIPP.
Also, Ezekwesili who made waves in the Obasanjo regime as Director General of the Due Process Office before moving over to the ministries of solid minerals and education told the committee that due process was not conceived to offer windows for waivers.

Pundits believe that their testimonies were a big blow to Obasanjo who many are clamouring to appear before the power probe committee. Perhaps, what appears as the floodgate of the criticisms against him was opened by the immediate past chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ahmadu Ali.
Speaking in Abuja when the Economic Institute Worldwide presented him the fellowship of the organization, he had carpeted aspects of the economic reforms carried out by Obasanjo.
He specifically opposed the privatization and sale of some national assets and the removal of subsidies especially in the agricultural sector.

But of all, one man whose volte-face against Obasanjo has shocked many Nigerians is Gen Theophilus Danjuma, Minister of defense between 1999 and 2003.
It is significant because, in 1999, Danjuma had threatened to go on exile if Obasanjo was not elected the president of Nigeria.
The Army General was later to swallow his words when he left Obasanjo’s government under controversial circumstances.

When Danjuma marked his 70th birthday, he was asked why he did not invite his friend Obasanjo and he was quick to state thus: “I didn’t invite him and I don’t know what I would have done if he came un-invited. I would have called the police to throw him out.”
He added, “ Obasanjo is the most toxic leader that Nigeria has produced so far. A country that took him out of jail and made him a president, he abused Nigeria, deceived Nigeria and deserves a second term in prison and we will make sure he ends up there.”

Many, however, argue that Danjuma’s later hatred for Obasanjo came after his Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 earlier awarded to his South-Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO) was revoked.
One of those whose voice against Obasanjo has surprised many is the former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma. Between 1999 and 2003, Ciroma was one of those who constituted the kitchen cabinet of the former president. Even when it was obvious that his health was failing him, Obasanjo was said to have held unto Ciroma. But appraising the last administration, the former Finance Minister had stated unequivocally that Obasanjo’s government was a failure.

At the extra-ordinary meeting of the National Council on Commerce and Industry in Abuja, Ciroma had said that Obasanjo failed to meet the needs of Nigerians in the areas of agriculture, employment, energy and fight against corruption. He had noted that the country cannot progress with the level of corruption in Obasanjo’s administration regretting that efforts to reduce it did not achieve any results.
For the immediate past Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP and former Minister of Works, chief Tony Anenih, Obasanjo is nothing but a traitor.
Since he was relieved of his position, Anenih has not taken it lightly with his estranged friend. At the Shehu Yar’Adua’s memorial lecture held recently in Abuja, the two power brokers of the PDP almost exchanged blows.

While Anenih made insinuations that Obasanjo was a dictator, the former president made references suggesting that the former works minister was a corrupt politician.
Among those who had long abandoned Obasanjo is the former minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana.
Before Gana left Obasanjo’s government to pursue his presidential ambition, the former university don was regarded as one of those close to the presidency.
Many believe that his criticism of Obasanjo’s administration came after he lost in the power game that led to the PDP primaries.

For the former Internal Affairs Minister, Chief Iyorchia Ayu, the best bet was to seek reprieve in the Action Congress (AC). As one of the ardent supporters of former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, it is not surprising that he sees Obasanjo, who he served his government, as a dictator.
The story is the same with majority, if not all those who served in the last administration. While some have been vocal in criticizing the administration, others simply appear indifferent to the fate of the former president. In this class are the likes of Femi Fani Kayode, Frank Nweke Jnr and Nasir el-Rufai.

For many, the unfolding drama is a study in leadership. The argument is – should Obasanjo alone, for the singular reason that he was the president, bear the blame of the failure of his administration?
Pundits believe that the answer is neither here nor there. But it is time public officers learnt to speak out their minds no matter whose ox is gored. They should also be bold enough to take responsibility for all actions taken while in government.