The National Coordinator of the Oo’dua Peoples Congress, Mr.
Gani Adams, in an interview with TOBI AWORINDE has also condemned a former
president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, saying he does things to satisfy his own
personal interest and has no interest of anyone at heart. He said a lot and
even mentioned the names of some people the president has fought. Part of the interview below…
Gani Adams, in an interview with TOBI AWORINDE has also condemned a former
president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, saying he does things to satisfy his own
personal interest and has no interest of anyone at heart. He said a lot and
even mentioned the names of some people the president has fought. Part of the interview below…
During the Goodluck Jonathan administration, ex-President Olusegun
Obasanjo displayed a strong dislike for the former’s leadership style. What is
your view on Obasanjo’s criticisms?
Obasanjo displayed a strong dislike for the former’s leadership style. What is
your view on Obasanjo’s criticisms?
Obasanjo did not normally agree
with any President for a period of four years. If he is praising you at the
beginning, within two years, he will have problems with you. There is no human
being on earth that can satisfy Obasanjo. He is just like a father, but that is
the truth. Even when former President Shehu Shagari was there, within four
years, Obasanjo started nursing certain feelings towards him. When Buhari was
there, from 1984 to 1985, Obasanjo refused to do anything with him; meanwhile,
he was dining and wining tactically with (a former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim)
Babangida. If you don’t come to Ota farm, even coming to him, he can set you
up. Continue…
with any President for a period of four years. If he is praising you at the
beginning, within two years, he will have problems with you. There is no human
being on earth that can satisfy Obasanjo. He is just like a father, but that is
the truth. Even when former President Shehu Shagari was there, within four
years, Obasanjo started nursing certain feelings towards him. When Buhari was
there, from 1984 to 1985, Obasanjo refused to do anything with him; meanwhile,
he was dining and wining tactically with (a former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim)
Babangida. If you don’t come to Ota farm, even coming to him, he can set you
up. Continue…
He had issues with (Gen. Sani)
Abacha before he was arrested and later was saying (late Chief Moshood) Abiola
was not the Messiah—the same Abiola, who had personally prostrated before Prof.
Wole Soyinka in Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, begging him to let Obasanjo become the
United Nations Secretary General. But when Abiola’s turn came, he turned his
back on him.
Abacha before he was arrested and later was saying (late Chief Moshood) Abiola
was not the Messiah—the same Abiola, who had personally prostrated before Prof.
Wole Soyinka in Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, begging him to let Obasanjo become the
United Nations Secretary General. But when Abiola’s turn came, he turned his
back on him.
He was in prison when Gen.
Abdulsalami Abubakar came to in power. In 1999, he (Obasanjo) was given power;
he dealt with virtually 90 per cent of the people that assisted him from prison
to power. He disagreed with (the late President) Umar Yar’Adua for befriending
Daniel.
Abdulsalami Abubakar came to in power. In 1999, he (Obasanjo) was given power;
he dealt with virtually 90 per cent of the people that assisted him from prison
to power. He disagreed with (the late President) Umar Yar’Adua for befriending
Daniel.
When Jonathan came into power, within two and
a half years as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees,
Obasanjo had issues with him. Before the end of Jonathan’s four years, he tore
his PDP membership card. I have never seen any person on earth, who a party
would bring from prison to become president for eight years. No matter the
situation or issue, couldn’t he have been silent like Abdulsalami or Yakubu
Gowon? Is it when one becomes an elder statesman that he should become an
activist? If we, as activists, are heating up the polity, as an elder
statesman, he should tactically caution us or persuade us. But when an elder
statesman, who has been in power for 11 years, becomes an activist to the point
that he campaigned publicly for the candidate of a party, then you can be sure
something is wrong.
a half years as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees,
Obasanjo had issues with him. Before the end of Jonathan’s four years, he tore
his PDP membership card. I have never seen any person on earth, who a party
would bring from prison to become president for eight years. No matter the
situation or issue, couldn’t he have been silent like Abdulsalami or Yakubu
Gowon? Is it when one becomes an elder statesman that he should become an
activist? If we, as activists, are heating up the polity, as an elder
statesman, he should tactically caution us or persuade us. But when an elder
statesman, who has been in power for 11 years, becomes an activist to the point
that he campaigned publicly for the candidate of a party, then you can be sure
something is wrong.
He also spoke about Tinubu’s hatred for him;
You have been very vocal about
your conflict with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Have you settled your differences?
your conflict with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Have you settled your differences?
I will tell you categorically, he
(Tinubu) is a person I was so close to. But I realise now that he didn’t like
me. He was just trying to manage me.
(Tinubu) is a person I was so close to. But I realise now that he didn’t like
me. He was just trying to manage me.
Why doesn’t he like you?
I don’t know. He was trying to
identify with the group (OPC) back then, but he was not planning to repackage
it to make it great. We tried our best for him. We stood by him when Obasanjo
was trying to water him down. As a matter of fact, when Obasanjo detained me
for 14 months, I got information from the (Presidential) Villa that one of my
offences was that I was very close to Tinubu. It took the intervention of the
law of the land to effect my release in 2006. Obasanjo wanted to keep me in
detention till the 2007 general elections so that Tinubu (as Lagos State
governor) would not hand over power to his successor, Babatunde Fashola.
identify with the group (OPC) back then, but he was not planning to repackage
it to make it great. We tried our best for him. We stood by him when Obasanjo
was trying to water him down. As a matter of fact, when Obasanjo detained me
for 14 months, I got information from the (Presidential) Villa that one of my
offences was that I was very close to Tinubu. It took the intervention of the
law of the land to effect my release in 2006. Obasanjo wanted to keep me in
detention till the 2007 general elections so that Tinubu (as Lagos State
governor) would not hand over power to his successor, Babatunde Fashola.
I was blackmailed by even most of
the leaders of the PDP back then because of my closeness to Tinubu. We later
realised that he (Tinubu) did not want the group to exist. In the middle of our
(OPC) crisis — though we had no evidence at the time that he was the one
fuelling it — he couldn’t call us for reconciliation. He preferred to dine with
(OPC founder, Dr. Frederick) Fasehun and I separately. Majority of OPC members
were in Lagos, but Tinubu did not do it (resolve the crisis). After Daniel’s
reconciliation process, Bayo Banjo called me and said, ‘Gani, Lagos is your
base as OPC. We need Tinubu to put finishing touches to this reconciliation’.
This was after we had held a press conference, where I was named National
Coordinator of the OPC and Fasehun, founding father. (Osun State Governor Rauf)
Aregbesola was then the Lagos State Commissioner for Works. Together, we drove
to Bourdillion to meet Tinubu.
the leaders of the PDP back then because of my closeness to Tinubu. We later
realised that he (Tinubu) did not want the group to exist. In the middle of our
(OPC) crisis — though we had no evidence at the time that he was the one
fuelling it — he couldn’t call us for reconciliation. He preferred to dine with
(OPC founder, Dr. Frederick) Fasehun and I separately. Majority of OPC members
were in Lagos, but Tinubu did not do it (resolve the crisis). After Daniel’s
reconciliation process, Bayo Banjo called me and said, ‘Gani, Lagos is your
base as OPC. We need Tinubu to put finishing touches to this reconciliation’.
This was after we had held a press conference, where I was named National
Coordinator of the OPC and Fasehun, founding father. (Osun State Governor Rauf)
Aregbesola was then the Lagos State Commissioner for Works. Together, we drove
to Bourdillion to meet Tinubu.
After we got to Tinubu’s office
and Banjo presented his case, the first thing he (Tinubu) did was to bring out
a magazine. He said we should look at the publicity that Daniel used the
reconciliation to make. We said, ‘Your Excellency, what is the problem? Do
yours for the sake of history in Yorubaland, after all the bloodshed that had
happened within the group’. But he just went into a long rigmarole and that was
how we left that place. Banjo was highly disappointed, but God has said He is
happy with anyone who initiates peace.
and Banjo presented his case, the first thing he (Tinubu) did was to bring out
a magazine. He said we should look at the publicity that Daniel used the
reconciliation to make. We said, ‘Your Excellency, what is the problem? Do
yours for the sake of history in Yorubaland, after all the bloodshed that had
happened within the group’. But he just went into a long rigmarole and that was
how we left that place. Banjo was highly disappointed, but God has said He is
happy with anyone who initiates peace.
Tinubu and I disagree
politically. The last election marked the first time that we had to disagree
openly and from the beginning of the election, I had made up my mind that
anywhere Tinubu is, I will not go there. Even if he is supporting the right
candidate, I will go for the wrong candidate. You can ask some of the Yoruba
APC members; some of them accused me of not supporting (President) Muhammadu
Buhari. I told some people, who are close to Buhari in Abuja, that I wouldn’t
align with them as long as Tinubu is still APC leader in the South-West. I
could have supported Jonathan without making a noise, but I knew Tinubu was so
smart. If he realises you are not supporting him, he will strike your structure
from underneath. So, we made sure that we blocked those holes to a certain
extent and that is why since 2007, he has been asking some OPC members to say a
lot of things about me. But I told people that you can’t expect me to be
joining issues with parasites. Politics is a game of number. If someone is
supporting a candidate against you, you look for a way to tackle him. One
cannot drag me into supporting a candidate on the pages of the newspaper. We
have to negotiate.
politically. The last election marked the first time that we had to disagree
openly and from the beginning of the election, I had made up my mind that
anywhere Tinubu is, I will not go there. Even if he is supporting the right
candidate, I will go for the wrong candidate. You can ask some of the Yoruba
APC members; some of them accused me of not supporting (President) Muhammadu
Buhari. I told some people, who are close to Buhari in Abuja, that I wouldn’t
align with them as long as Tinubu is still APC leader in the South-West. I
could have supported Jonathan without making a noise, but I knew Tinubu was so
smart. If he realises you are not supporting him, he will strike your structure
from underneath. So, we made sure that we blocked those holes to a certain
extent and that is why since 2007, he has been asking some OPC members to say a
lot of things about me. But I told people that you can’t expect me to be
joining issues with parasites. Politics is a game of number. If someone is
supporting a candidate against you, you look for a way to tackle him. One
cannot drag me into supporting a candidate on the pages of the newspaper. We
have to negotiate.
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