by Damilola Jagun
After being at the receiving end of a barrage of verbal attacks, following his recent comments and dramatic exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has began to receive some support from prominent persons.
Popular constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) and the Chairman, Anti-Corruption Commission, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), have disagreed with the Defence Headquarters’ portrayal the erstwhile head of state, as an embarrassment to the military.
In telephone interviews with Punch newspaper on Monday, February 16, the veteran lawyers described Obasanjo as a well respected Nigerian elder statesman who has contributed immensely to the development of the military and Nigeria as whole.
The pair expressed shock and surprise over the statement of the DHQ, describing Obasanjo in such unflattering words.
According to Sagay, the former president’s comment was to help steer back the military on the right path of professionalism and to save it from being seen as a partisan army.
“Obasanjo is not an embarrassment to the military. He is a distinguished and eminent Nigerian leader who has contributed a lot to national development, including the military. He raised valid issues in his comment. The Ekiti issue is still a current matter and the military wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that the army cannot guarantee security during the February 14 and 28 general elections, which Jega cited as the reason for the postponement of the general elections.”
“Obasanjo’s comment was to steer the military aright. He should not have been described as an embarrassment. How is he an embarrassment? A former Head of State and a former President of this country! I am shocked at such a comment.”
Speaking in a similar vein, Alli said Obasanjo is an international figure as well as a prominent and well-respected Nigerian leader, who has contributed immensely to the development of the military and by an extension, Nigeria.
He stated that those who described Obasanjo as an embarrassment were most likely young officers when Obasanjo retired as a Head of State of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Ali said: “I do not agree with that description. How can Obasanjo who was the Head of State and contributed greatly to the growth of the military be described as an embarrassment? How can you refer to someone who after about 20 years of being the Head of State became the President of Nigeria for eight years as an embarrassment? It is not a right description. I disagree with that.”
Leave a reply