How Obasanjo Illegally Removed Five Governors From Office – Presidency

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and President Muhammadu Buhari

Obasanjo And Buhari Continue War Of Words

Mr. Garba Shehu, special adviser on media and publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, has accused former president Olusegun Obasanjo of intimidating and illegally removing some governors from office during his time as the nation’s president.

The presidential spokesperson, made the allegation on Sunday in an essay to PREMIUM TIMES, stating that there were assaults on Nigeria’s constitution during Obasanjo’s administration.

Those identified by Shehu as victims of Obasanjo’s actions are Joshua Dariye, Rashidi Ladoja, Peter Obi, Chris Ngige and Ayo Fayose, respective governors of Plateau, Oyo, Anambra, Anambra and Ekiti, as at then.

“When they ran the government at the centre, the opposition PDP showed aptitude in only one thing: the toppling of elected state governments using the police and secret service under their control,” Mr Shehu said.

“A five-man legislature met at 6:00 am and “impeached” Governor Dariye in Plateau; 18 members out of 32 removed Governor Ladoja of Oyo from office; in Anambra, APGA’s Governor Obi was equally impeached at 5:00 a.m. by members who did not meet the two-thirds required by the constitution.

“His offence was that he refused to inflate the state’s budget. The lawmakers had reportedly met with representatives of the President in Asaba , Delta State and then accompanied to Awka by heavy security provided by the police Mobile Unit. The PDP President at that time had reportedly told Obi to forget re-election in 2007 if he did not join the PDP because he (the President) would not support a non-PDP member.

“In Ekiti, Governor Fayose in his first term faced allegations of financial corruption and murder. Following the failure to heed the instruction of the presidency to impeach only Fayose and spare the deputy, Madam Olujimi, now a senator, the PDP President declared that there was a breakdown of law and order in the state and declared a state of emergency.

“He appointed Brig-Gen. Adetunji Olurin (rtd) as the sole administrator of the state on October 19, 2006. In an earlier incident in Anambra, it took an insider collaboration to thwart the unseating of Governor Ngige by a powerful thug sponsored by the PDP administration.

“The parliament at the centre seized the law-making powers of the Rivers State House of Assembly as a way to save Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the then chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum from impeachment by the PDP presidency. Thank God for Buhari, none of these absurdities has happened under his watch but the PDP is indicating their boredom with his meticulous observance of the constitution by calling for a return to the old order,” the spokesperson said.

Mallam Shehu also slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for having the effrontery to report trumped up charges against President Buhari.

“I not for “dry eyes,” as said in our common parlance, what is it that would push this party to write a letter to the United Nations, laying false claims to constitutionality and alleging that democracy is presently under threat?” Mr Shehu said.

Mr Shehu’s statement marks the latest attack in the escalating political feud between his principal and Mr Obasanjo. Last week, Mr Buhari accused Mr Obasanjo of squandering $16 billion earmarked for power projects without noticeable impact.

The PDP however, dismissed Mr Shehu’s statement as a distraction that will end up working against his principal’s interest.

“All these assaults and blame games on past leaders will not help them to win re-election in 2019.”

“As at May 2017, what was their position on President Obasanjo?” Mr Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesperson asked rhetorically.

“President Buhari has acted in several ways that portray our democracy like a military regime,” Mr Ologbondiyan further stated. “He paid for the super tucanos without the approval of the National Assembly.”

“Only a few days ago, he boasted that if he had his way, he will lock all the politicians in jail,” that is a statement that is clearly anti-democratic. “In a democratic system, an accused person is innocent until proven guilty.”

Naija News recalls that the political feud between Obasanjo and Buhari was recently rekindled after President Buhari accused Chief Obasanjo of squandering $16 billion on power projects without any corresponding result.