Another Open Letter: Obasanjo an egomaniac, says Edwin Clark

The season of letter writing may not be over
in Nigeria yet as elder statesman and former
Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark
joined the fray to excoriate former President
Olusegun Obasanjo over his 18-page letter
to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In his 10-page delayed response to
Obasanjo, titled: 'Let The Truth Be Told
Before It Is Too Late,' and made available to
us this morning, Chief Clark described
Obasanjo as "a mischief maker" and "an ego
maniac who always want to play to the
gallery."
Obasanjo wrote his letter to Jonathan on 2
December last year, titled 'Before It Is too
Late', triggering a political tremor that is yet
to quieten down.
Edwin Clark: Obasanjo an egomaniac,
mischief maker
The Ijaw pre-eminent chief and political
godfather of President Jonathan, condemned
Obasanjo for writing what he called a
treasonable letter to the president, adding
that Nigeria does not belong to Obasanjo as
pointed out by Iyabo Obasanjo in her open
letter to her father.
"Ordinarily, I never intended to join in the
affray of accusations and counter
accusations between a former president and
a sitting president and a daughter in
between. But, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in
your usual characteristic hatred and use of
sarcastic remarks about Ijaw, you have again
berated and insulted us the Ijaws in your
letter to Mr. President. Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan has never for once acted nor
behaved as an Ijaw man since he took office
as President, and we hold no grudge against
him for that.
"In addition, I want to butress the assertion
that all Nigerians are equal no matter where
they come from, that is no one is a second
class citizen of this nation. You have no right
to plunge Nigeria into crisis as your past
actions and recent open letter to the
president connotes. The generality of
Nigerians think your letter is treasonable,"
Chief Clark stated.
The former minister goes further to describe
Obasanjo as an unrepentant trouble maker,
adding that he had in the past embarrassed
former Heads of State through his devilish
open letters.
Obasanjo: another missile for ex-president
Obasanjo: another missile for ex-president
"My dear Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, you
have become an unrepentant trouble maker,
as Nigeria gave you more than you truly
deserve. Hence you see yourself as lord of
the manor. You have without recourse in the
past embarrassed all past Heads of State
and Presidents in Nigeria through open
letters and unsavory comments. In such
letters, you have always alleged
maladministration, corruption and
incompetence against them," Clark wrote.
While admitting that Obasanjo contributed
to Jonathan's emergence as president, the
former minister criticised Obasanjo for
trying to dictate to Jonathan and when the
latter refused to toe his footsteps, started
attacking him.
"Nigerians are aware that you set the stage
for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as
President of the Federal Republic. But the
saying goes that if you present a gift of goat
to a friend you must let go of the tether. You
are probably different. Right from the
inception of the Jonathan presidency, your
body language indicated you want to play
the role of the piper, that is, dictate how
Jonathan runs the government, a
phenomenon you did not tolerate from those
who put you in office in 1999.
"An incident that played itself out then will
suffice. You masterminded the removal of
Chief Tony Anenih, then PDP Chairman,
Board of Trustees, and appointed yourself
thinking the position will give you powers to
control and manipulate the President. The
futility of your actions dawned on you when
you realised Jonathan is his own man. And in
frustration you resigned as PDP Board of
Trustee Chairman. You had thought the
president will kneel before you begging that
you stay on, but he never did. Every Nigerian
therefore, knows that you connived, with
PDP renegades and opposition parties to
ridicule and undo President Jonathan and
the government because he refused to be
your puppet," he stated.
Citing other instances of Obasanjo's
hypocrisy and corruption, Clark reminded
him: "My dear OBJ, I was your colleague in
the General Yakubu Gowon government in
1975. You were then the Minister of Works.
The Head of State directed you to develop
the Tincan Island Port. It was widely
rumoured then that you carved out a portion
of land from the area earmarked for the
project for yourself, the area now known as
Beachland Estate in Apapa, Lagos. Your
clandestine usurpation of the piece of land
led to series of litigations with your front
man, in which I believe you are still probably
embroiled.
"Mr. former President, I will also like to use
the language of your daughter, Iyabo to
describe you to Nigerians. You are "a liar,
manipulator, two face hypocrite" and that
"you have egoistic craving for power and live
a life only men of low self esteem and
intellect thrive."
Sent From David Aniemeka