{"id":45267,"date":"2015-12-25T21:34:15","date_gmt":"2015-12-25T20:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=45267"},"modified":"2015-12-25T21:34:15","modified_gmt":"2015-12-25T20:34:15","slug":"atiku-is-green-snake-obasanjo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/atiku-is-green-snake-obasanjo\/","title":{"rendered":"Atiku is green Snake\u00a0 – Obasanjo"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From the day I nominated Atiku to be my vice, he set his mind not for any good, benefit or service of the country, but on furiously planning to upstage, supplant or remove me at all cost and to take my place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was what I brought him for, but he was impatient and over-ambitious. He was not ready to learn and to wait. His marabout, who predicted that despite being elected as governor, he would not be sworn in as a governor, which happened, also assured him that he would take over from me in a matter of months rather than years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll his plans, appointments of people and his actions were towards the actualisation of his marabout\u2019s prediction. Once I realised his intention and programme, I watched him like a hawk without giving any indication of what I knew and letting down my guard. I could not succumb to the distraction, diversion and malevolence of an ambitious but unwise deputy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work in hand was more important than a confrontational relationship with my deputy, a man over whom I knew I had far more experience and outreach in all matters. To alert him of what I knew he was up to, would only lead to lying, denial, more mischievous plans and more duplicity on his part.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was better managed that way. What was important was not allowing myself to be surprised or outmanoeuvred by him. I must always seize the initiative and know what was going on if not in his mind, but at least in his camp. That I did very effectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometime in the fourth quarter of 2004, an associate of Atiku came to my residence at the Aso Villa from Atiku\u2019s official residence. He felt uncomfortable and I tried to make him feel at ease. Then, he settled to tell me the story of what had just transpired in Atiku\u2019s residence. I listened with rapt attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went on to say that Atiku told him that for him to become the President of Nigeria, the 2007 elections were only a formality.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe seven ingredients he needed for his enthronement were already in his hands. He controlled the National Assembly because both the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives were in his pocket. He controlled twenty-eight out of thirty-six governors. He had control of the media. His influence over the judiciary was overwhelming.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat he needed was foreign endorsement and for that he had employed two lobby groups in the US and one in the UK. And finally, the money for the elections was in his purse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the man finished, I thanked him without passing any comment. The man was surprised at my reaction and asked, \u2018You have nothing to say to these?\u2019 I said that I had nothing to say and I immediately called my ADC, Chris Jemitola, to play a game of squash with me.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn our way to the squash court with my ADC, I said, \u2018People at times make plans and leave God out of their plans.\u2019 My casual remark struck Chris and he said, \u2018Sir, that was a profound statement.\u2019 I said that I made the statement because of what I had just heard of Atiku\u2019s plan. I was not convinced he had put God in his plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cAtiku was confident and God was laughing. Most of Atiku\u2019s ingredients soon started to fall out of place one by one. The first was the party, PDP.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thought I was powerless and had no clue about the execution of his plan with his group; part of his attack on me was for national chairman of the party to give the first salvo, then other things would follow as his grip on the party would be firm and consolidated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat salvo came in the form of a letter to me from the chairman of the party, Audu Ogbeh, who had fully defected with (Iyorchia) Ayu to Atiku.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe letter, which was not the product of any issue or matter discussed with or at any party meeting, came suddenly. When I received it, I could read the sinister intention behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent that night writing my reply and I sent it in the morning. My reply was clear. I wondered why Atiku and his group did not realise that with my reply, the battle line was clear or maybe they thought that the seven ingredients would remain intact to the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy assistants had moles within the Atiku group. Anything that they planned would be reported. That was the case after Ogbeh\u2019s letter. They decided that Ogbeh should appear remorseful and come with the National Working Committee to apologise to me. It was not from their hearts, but to lure me to a \u2018killing ground\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll pieces of information that were reported were verified because it would not come from only one informant.<\/p>\n

\u201cTimely information is a very important principle of war and also of politics. In politics, just as in war, what matters is not just your plan, but knowledge of your opponent\u2019s plan. Knowing their plan, I had the choice of playing along with them or being firm, I chose the latter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Ogbeh that my relationship with him as national chairman and me as national leader of the party was based on mutual confidence and trust. But with his letter, my reply and what I knew of him then, I could no longer work with him in confidence and trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were only two choices left for both of us in our best interest and that of the party \u2013 he, leaves as chairman or I leave as leader of the party.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe following Sunday, I called at his house, which I had done on several occasions in the past when there was an important party matter to discuss. This time, I asked him to give me an undated letter of resignation as the national chairman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI waited, he gave me but it was wrongly addressed to me rather than to the national secretary of the party as stipulated in the party\u2019s constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cOgbeh reported to his group and it was decided by them to play on and to wait for my disgrace whenever I presented a letter of resignation not addressed to the national secretary.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe informants did their job and I, once again, paid another visit to Ogbeh at his residence. He entertained me to a meal and drink, and changed the addressee on his letter of resignation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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by jenny downing<\/span> on<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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