Reactions to Obasanjo’s statement: I chose Yar’Adua because others were corrupt

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Wednesday that he chose the late former President Umaru Yar’ Adua as his successor because the others, who wanted the post, were corrupt.

Read the story HERE.

Here are the top reactions from our online readers.

Adure:

Until Nigerians begin to choose their leaders, the corrupt ones will continue to rotate and choose themselves for us. OBJ is corrupt by choosing a leader for Nigerians.

Asuk:

The very corrupt one is today calling the shots in APC claiming to be a change agent. We are told he will be made BOT CHAIRMAN. That’s why I doubt APC’s anti-corruption claim.

Edward Osadebay:

One thing I like about President Obasanjo is audacity. You may not like him but the man talks without caring whose ox is gored. He has accused too many people of corruption, even abused them to no end yet nobody has been able to take him on. Their replies have been weak and lame. He walks freely, speak freely and is apparently not afraid of anybody. The more he abuses them, the more they sneak into his house to beg under the cover of consultation. Who will tame Obasanjo?

daps:

This is exactly the point we are making, why would you “chose ” someone? Do you have the right to do so? How democratic is that? This man is antidemocratic and he has impliedly confirmed it that he chose someone when it is the responsibility of Nigerians to do so.

Besides, how clean was Obasanjo himself?

Bankole Okuwa:

We need to allow democracy to take root and shape if we truly want to develop politically. No one has any right or privilege to choose another for the highest office of our country. It is an abuse of power, privilege and influence to impose leadership where the philosophy of governance is to promote and establish the virtues of democracy. Leaders can help those they prefer but not impose their favored candidates. Primary elections are needed to be judiciously organised and promoted by INEC as we move on because the existing Nigerian political parties cannot be upright and be trusted with such political power game. The potential kingmakers will deny the people their choice. Aside from getting Umar Y’adua nominated by the PDP and having him elected, Sule Lamido was another choice of Obasanjo to become the Vice President to Jonathan. Is Sule Lamido not corrupt? Every one can see what is happening to the man and his two corrupt sons now.

lift up nigeria:

It is undemocratic for OBJ to say he chose Yaradua, it means Yaradua was selected and not elected. we need to condemn this kind of politics where people usurp the democratic process. For us to advance as a nation we must create a credible process of electing qualified and dignified individuals. When people are selected by a few individuals, they owe their allegiance to such individuals, but when they are elected by the will of the people, they owe their allegiance to the people. The present confusion with the ruling party is a matter of those who felt they are the selectors of the president trying to dictate to him. Whoever plays the piper dictates the tune.

JJ:

In all honesty, OBJ acted in the best interest of Nigeria. Yar’Adua and Jonathan were not even close to him when he was president.

When will Atiku visit USA? Why can’t he be part of PMB’s delegates? Could he be the stinkingly corrupt OBJ is referring to?

Though not perfect, OBJ is a good man, a patriotic Nigerian. God bless you, Baba.

befrank:

One thing I will always credit Jonathan for: he gave Nigerians the power to choose. He could have have done otherwise if he wanted to but he did not.

arisemynaija:

Kettle calling pot black, OBJ who introduced constituency projects allowance, who wanted a third term, who shared money to NASS members, who created overnight billionaires like Andy UBA, who rigged elections with impunity, who? Who? and who?

Samuel Okezie:

We were in a democracy on paper. Did anyone read the asset declaration of Yaradua with all the money he inherited from his late brother. He had little need to steal. Yaradua is similar to Buhari, relatively honest and simple but lacking in depth. Obasanjo is neither honest and simple and only has depth in personal warfare. My 2cents.

Perrymarvis2014:

OBJ can not stop amusing us. The era of 1999 to 2015 was a cesspool era of corruption, but 1999 t0 2007 was better than what followed later under Jonathan. He was referring to Atiku, grandfather of corruption. But under OBJ, Andy Ubah and his troublesome brother , Chris became Billionaires with no visible means of livelihood. OBJ should please spare us this sanctimonious moral high ground he has elevated himself. All of them are corrupt.

INTEGRITY:

Most times, when God wants to personally intervene in the affairs and choice options available to man, He can use even the most sinful person as a stepping stone to bring His choice, who will do His will at all times to the throne.

Pa Obasanjo, you just can not and will never deny, between you and God as a living and all-knowing Witness that, you too are not clean. Then what do we actually stand to gain as a country when it was during your time that Boko Haram sprang up. You watched and folded your arms just because of your affiliation with the North such that you would remain relevant in the political matrix of the country; and because you don’t want to offend man but rather offend God.

Judith:

Who does Obasanjo think he is to choose a president for the whole of Nigeria? Did Nigerian’s tell him we don’t know how to vote? He scuttled the democratic process just to have his way, which of course proved to be the wrongest way! Obasanjo is the cause of all our problems today. The sooner we begin to realise that anything he does is for his own benefit, the wiser we become in handling his false concern and fake love for Nigeria.

goodboy:

Like or hate him, he speaks out his mind on deep national issues with patriotism. Who says godfatherism will die in Nigeria, lets keep deceiving ourselves, even in develop democracies of the world, they have power blocs that determines who gets what and when at any election period.

Thecreed:

I believe obj, The PDP is synonymous with corruption. Glad power finally changed hands!

Kandi Krisagbedo:

And OBJ was a saint eh? In a democratic setting, OBJ is boasting of having chosen his successor as against the so-called corrupt aspirants. What could be more than this? Has any former US president boasted of having influenced the election of his successor? Never. You don’t blame OBJ for having been licensed by his successors to open his mouth wide to talk on corruption even when so many instances (including the Halliburton bribery scandal) of corrupt practices question OBJ’s ‘holier than thou’ attitude. I wonder why his successors are scared stiff of him. I am looking up to Buhari to see whether he will also be too scared of OBJ to ask certain questions.

Rommel:

Is this not the same man that spent hundreds of billions of Naira trying to amend the constitution to extend his stay in office? is this not the same man that monetized the national assembly with his Ghana must bags? our ancestors say that those whom benevolent spirits have cracked their palm kernels for should not amuse themselves at the misfortune of others

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cal:

Even before God and man Obasanjo was wrong to arrogate to himself the power to single handedly choose his successor in office for a country of over 150m people. He is not a democrat.

innocentman:

Its only in Nigeria that one man can choose a president for us all, force him on us and still have the effrontery to brag about it all the time. He is the only wise man, yet he identified that the other contenders were corrupt without prosecuting them. And some hypocrites will come here to criminalise GEJ while painting OBJ a saint. Nigeria we hail thee.

smart G:

So Obj chose Yaradua and Jonathan not our votes.

Ify:

Is the former president telling us he single handedly installed a president for Nigeria? There was an election, and the people voted – a winner emerged at the end of the contest. Perhaps the former president influenced the results of that election – in which case he should be prosecuted for subversion of the people’s will and manipulation of electoral laws.

Secondly, the former president claimed he had information that some people were corrupt and did nothing about it – this is dereliction of duty deserving of punishment.

With all due respect, OBJ is not above the law, and he is not the owner of nigeria – he does and says whatever he likes with no consequence. PMB sir, it is time to be bold and defend the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Chika Kema Junior:

Obj has already admitted to committing a crime. Unfortunately, Nigeria is what it is, no political responsibility , any leader can act as he sees fit without repercussion. Imagine , coming out publicly to say you single handedly chose Yaradu to be president, which means, you as well manipulated the election in favor of your candidate. Nigerians wake up.

Ali Abdulkadir:

The question is, as the C in C, what did you do legally about these so called corrupt individuals? Which one of them did you jail? If you could not bring any one of them to justice, it simply means you did not have credible evidence they were corrupt. Additionally, Nigerians, not Obasanjo should decide who they prefer to lead them. As far as I am concerned, OBJ’s choice of Yar’Adua was in personal and not national interest. It is common knowledge that Atiku for example, was not in support of his third – term ambition and almost scuttled his bid for second term. His actions against these individuals can be safely hinged on personal vendetta rather than love of country.

blackdove:

Obj please don’t go there. This is a democracy and you have no right to hand pick a president for almost 200m people .
You are the reason the country went on reverse. Yaradua, and then Jonathan? Baba! Please don’t go there.

Posterity:

I agree with Obasanjo. Ya Adua was the best among those vied for the post in 2007.

MINT65:

Was El Rufai also corrupt? Poor choice!!! Why not Duke instead of Jonathan? Poor Leadership succession planning