Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday declared that those destroying the country are not necessarily the bad ones perpetrating evil, but people who were in the position to speak out, elected to remain silent.
Obasanjo described such people as “Nigeria’s worse enemies,” vowing that he would not stay mute while bad things were being done, but also ready to support anybody that will take Nigeria to the promised land.
The elder statesman made the declaration when former Minister of Special Duties and Inter -government Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, visited him at his Abeokuta home, the Ogun state capital.
Turaki was in Abeokuta to intimate Obasanjo of his ambition to join the 2019 Presidential election race in the country.
The ex-President noted that God has endowed Nigeria with men and women who can stand their onions anywhere in the world, saying he would not relent in demanding good governance until Nigeria reaches where God destined her to be.
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“Let me say that what is happening here today or what you’re making to happen with your delegation particularly gladdens my heart. You are firming up and stabilising our democracy. Democracy is not a destination but a journey and there is no nation that can claim to have reached the final destination.
“It is good for us as a nation and our democracy. We have said a lot of things that we have identified about what we need to put right as a country.
“What do we lack? Why are we not where we should be? We are so divided today the way we have not been before. People are deprived socially and economically. But you know I have never lost hope.
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“The reasons are many but one of them is why we are having here today. This country has been blessed by God with men and women of calibre, who can stand their onions anywhere in the world. Why are we under-performing? Simple, leadership.
“What you are saying in simple language is that we are not short of leadership that can perform and that leadership should be given an opportunity.
“A nation can be destroyed not necessarily by people who are doing bad things but people who keep quiet when bad things are being done. They are the worse enemy of the nation as much as those who are doing bad things.
“For me, I’ll continue not to rest until we get this country to where God wants this country to be. There is no permanent arrangement for the indivisibility of Nigeria. I share your concern but I believe that no one can do it alone.
“And for me, anybody who will lead Nigeria to the promised land will have my support.
“We are in a position to do better than we are doing but in a situation of the world today, where whatever is happening can be seen instantly, we have to create a good image to the world. But some of the things we do inadvertently or inadvertently are not creating that good image,” Obasanjo said.
According to him, Turaki’s Presidential aspiration is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria is not short of leadership that can perform if given an opportunity.
And speaking reporters after the meeting, the former minister described it as “fruitful and encouraging.”
“We have discussed openly, honestly and frankly about the current situation in this country and like always, Baba was of tremendous guidance to us”.
“Baba has spoken in his vintage way of speaking passionately about the situation in Nigeria. We believe that our indivisibility as a one and united nation is given and it is non-negotiable. We feel that our unity is also non-negotiable”.
“But within the parameters of living together and staying together as a plural and multi-ethnic complex country that God has brought together, we must learn to understand and respect each other’s feelings.
“We must work towards ensuring that the government does perform the minimum obligation that citizens of every country expect, which is the protection of the lives and properties of Nigerians and that is why we feel that not being able to do so; the APC-led federal government has now placed Nigerians in a very sorry situation.
“There is insecurity everywhere; there is lack of unity; there is despondency; there is hunger, there is poverty and we feel that we will be of assistance.
“We will rise up to the situation and seek the support and mandate of our party to effect positive change that will affect the lives of Nigerians positively.
“We have been placed in a better situation now to address fully these problems that are bedeviling the Nigerian state and when we get the ticket of our party and win the election on February 16 next year, we would be able to bring back Nigeria on the path of prosperity again,” Turaki said.
