Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been accused of running an undemocratic and unjust administration whose ghost is responsible for the prevailing ills in the society today.
A social commentator based in Abuja, Chief Izuoma Ibe made the observation at the weekend while reviewing the renewed trial of former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Ibe said the former President used his powers to illegally promote the former Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from “the position of Deputy Commissioner of Police to Police Commissioner, and then to Assistant Inspector General of Police within one year, and foisted him on the Commission,” to do his bidding.
He further said that the ex- President proceeded to use the Commission to witch hunt governors who were opposed to his third term agenda.
He said that most of his deeds in office were in contravention of a true federal system of governance, and was “very evident in his denial of some parts of the country of democratic dividends”.
He singled out the South East geo- political zone as one of the regions Obasanjo marginalized, adding however , that the zone was fortunate in having Kalu who stood firmly against the injustice meted out to this people.
Said he: “ Kalu stood tall, spoke against the neglect of federal roads in the South East and the killings of Igbos in the north which was undisguised, as was the case in the early days of Jonathan’s presidency.” He added that Kalu never wavered when his name and others opposed to his unfair policies were unscrupulously yanked off the register of PDP members.
Accusing the former president of abuse of power during his reign, he regretted that by killing some of the business interests of the former governor, including banks, airline, oil blocs, which forced kalu to relocate them to other countries, Nigerians were denied of employment benefits to the advantage of the nationals of other foreign countries.
He observed that Kalu’s accusers were finicky going by the discrepancies in the charge sheet which oscillated from N5b to N2b. Ibe declared that kalu is ready to face the trial as a law abiding citizen, while urging Nigerians to stand up for the truth. “ It is only in Nigeria that you see a man who speaks the truth being labeled controversial,” he concluded.