Obasanjo: Why Yar'Adua's Cabal Tried to Rubbish Me *Accuses Kingibe, Tanimu, Others of Using State Power to 'Settle Personal Scores' *Claims His Daughter Was Framed as Part of Ploy to Cut Him to Size
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has detailed how members of the cabal around his successor, late President Umaru Yar’Adua tried to hound him out of relevance using state resources and how he decided that fighting back may be unwise.
In a tell-all, three-part autobiography, which a FCT High Court has stopped Obasanjo from publishing, the former president named then Economic Adviser to Yar’Adua, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and one-time Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Baba-Gana Kingibe as the arrowheads of a cabal that tried to rubbish him and his achievements.
In the books titled 'My Watch', Obasanjo further named two former governors, Bukola Saraki and James Ibori, as persons who “aided and supported” the duo in their quest to hit back at him. The former president also has scathing comments in his books about his then deputy, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and President Goodluck Jonathan. He also made claims about how some officials used state powers to hound others on account of tussle over women.
Obasanjo revealed that “a very close friend of the Villa and a member of Yar’Adua’s inner circle, a minister from Katsina, spent two nights in my house in Abeokuta when all of this was over. What he told me, which may or may not have been true, was astounding, and for me another good lesson. It was sickening how Tanimu and Kingibe used government instruments at their disposal to settle personal scores.”
He narrated that “at first, it was the same men now in the corridors of power, like Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and Baba Kingibe, who suddenly remembered ‘the evil’ I had done them in the past, which they wanted to avenge. For Tanimu, whom I appointed Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria on the recommendation of then Governor Umaru Yar’Adua, my offence was that I did not appoint him to run and handle the Yar’Adua Presidential Campaign and manage the campaign fund. From what I had seen of his performance at the Federal Mortgage Bank, I would not have made or allowed such an appointment.
“For Baba Kingibe his grouse, I came to hear, was that I had advised Umaru Yar’Adua to consider the background of the man he was proposing to appoint as the secretary to the government of the federation. Baba was rejected by the government of Cameroon, at one time, when he was proposed as Nigerian Ambassador; and when Shehu Yar’Adua and I were in Kirikiri Prison, Shehu did not have any good thing to say about Baba Kingibe.
“Umaru Yar’Adua told Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and Baba Kingibe my impression of them and they went up in arms, aided and supported by two governors - Bukola Saraki and James Ibori - for their own personal and selfish reasons. There were other men and women who played supporting roles. I was neither worried nor have apologies for my views and impressions, which are well grounded in evidence.”
According to Obasanjo, Yar’Adua later sacked Kingibe when “over ambition was noticed by his boss” at a time ill-health was taking its toll on the late president’s work. With Yar’Adua’s worsening ill health came more intrigues while members of the cabal went after anyone they perceived as close to Obasanjo, including incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, who was starved of information and access to his sick boss.
Said Obasanjo: “Tanimu confided in his friend, saying that they all realised that it was only a matter of time; the centre would not hold. Everybody then decided to make money for themselves before the centre collapsed; and they did so while the No. 2 man in government knew little or nothing about what was going on.
“He was kept in the dark. Government had been privatised by the cabal. For the whole of this period, the vice president could not chair a cabinet meeting, and he did not know how long the president would be away. During my administration, my VP chaired cabinet meetings any Wednesday that I was not physically in Abuja; and why not, after all if anything serious happened to me the VP should take over automatically.
“In this case, however, Yar’Adua’s VP was not even briefed of the president travelling out of the country. He was starved of funds for the maintenance of his office and residence and, in fact, unimaginably, was later called in to see the dead body of the president on his death bed. I know the plight of the VP because, on a few occasions, I had to encourage him to bear it by being patient."
Obasanjo also said the cabal was trying to get at him by framing his daughter. “My adversaries tried other means to get to me," he stated. "If Obasanjo could not be cut down to size, they must have thought, what about those close to him, including his daughter? When Senator Iyabo, my daughter, was accused of corruption, I took my time to have a serious interview with her on what exactly had transpired. She briefed me in detail and I was satisfied.
“But I did not stop there. I spoke with the Senate President, who also briefed me and assured me that Iyabo had not committed any offence as he had personally looked into the matter. I was again reassured but did not stop there. I talked to another senator, Mrs. Ekaette, who was a member of the health committee of which Iyabo was chairman. Mrs. Ekaette again satisfied me with her explanation. I was advised to talk to President Yar’Adua but I refused to do this, especially as I was told he was expecting me to. Instead, I advised Iyabo to hand the matter over to Chief Afe Babalola, a lawyer and friend, to deal with it through the court process. She was discharged and acquitted by the court.
“The fact that my ordeal, and that of my daughter, occurred under the administration of President Yar’Adua, who was brought into power by God through me, did not surprise me. I have always held to a belief that any person who expects commendation, praise, eulogy, or credit from any human being might die a frustrated wretch.”
Obasanjo, who revealed that he was also attacked on the party front, further wrote that he did not do what he had done as president for personal gain or aggrandisement but for the good of Nigeria as he saw and understood it.
He said “the amendment to the Peoples Democratic Party’s Constitution, which puts a former president who is a product of PDP as the chairman of the party’s board of trustees, was spearheaded by then Governors James Ibori, Makarfi and Chief Tony Anenih. Whatever their reason for that constitutional amendment, I was the one available to occupy the post.
“But when Umaru and members of his cabal, along with their associates, set about pulling down Obasanjo, they pursued it to the board of trustees. Chief Tony Anenih and James Ibori were fellow travellers. I personally gained nothing from being chairman of the board of trustees (BOT). If anything, it cost me in terms of time, resources, and effort to settle quarrels and feuds within the party.
“Nevertheless, I have derived benefits from the party as I became elected president of Nigeria on its platform; therefore, I should contribute whatever I can to the fortunes and sustenance of the party. But, having participated actively in bringing up my successor and my successor’s successor, I believe that I have adequately paid my dues. Nobody in Goodluck Jonathan’s camp, or sponsored or encouraged by them, is clamouring for my bowing out, but I personally believe in doing so while the ovation is loudest.”
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