He told an audience at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington DC that his checks in a number of African countries suggested they were happy over the result of the election.
He said some Nigerians described President Jonathan as a moving train who was stopped from collapsing Nigeria.
The former President, who led the African Union Observation Mission to the April 2015 General Election in Sudan to the event, said, “I have visited six countries since the election, they are as happy about the results. It is good not only for Nigeria, it is good for Africa and I believe it is good for the world.”
He also advised African leaders to shift from the mentality of clinching to power by all means, urging them to demonstrate statesmanship for the survival of the African continent.
Obasanjo also said that the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) , “has moved Nigeria one very important step up in our democracy.”
He also advised African leaders to have consultations with elders in order to promote public accountability and pave way for leaders who were fearful of giving up power to step down in favour of a future of statesmanship.
The former President said, “Governance reform and capacity-building programmes, for example, are apt to look everywhere but within. For a change, let us move away from the melancholic issue of what is wrong with Africa.
“If we are truly committed to invigorating conversations about an Africa-focused, Africa-led and Africa-driven framework for substantive self-determination and sustainable development, it is important to rethink and reframe how we situate Africa at the centre of inquiry.”
Obasanjo said countries like Togo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon were among countries with leaders reluctant to give up power for fear they might “land in prison or in the grave.”
“What if African statespersons made a coordinated effort, measured against concrete benchmarks, to strategically learn from their own scorecards to help implement home-grown solutions for leadership, governance and succession in government, business and civil society sectors?” he asked.
Meanwhile, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Princeton Lyman, described the former President as one of the world’s leading statesmen, adding that he set an example for governance.
He said the last general elections couldn’t have been successful without the input of the former President.
Dis old man should keep quiet and sit in one place. If he was in Jonathan's shoees he won't even lose one local govt talkless of loosing d whole election. As if he meant well 4 Nigeria. D genesis of most of ourr problems in dis country is Obj. Hmmm! "Uwaifo don talk e own o".
ReplyDeleteMake this man Go sit down
ReplyDeleteOBJ na, even though they are, no dey fall my hand na. Nigerians do not need u to say trash but wat will make peace and progress.
ReplyDeleteobj is a shadow of himself.....which african leader will not b proud of GEJ...d man that defy godfather syndrome,,,d man that gave absolute freedom of speech,,d man that open our eyes to see d level of corruption in governance.....etc....I can go on n on.....I will still say this,,goodluck remains d best democratic president we hv had so far unless buhari will come to do better.....obj let me rest ma case,,if I decides to review obj activities while in office u guys will wish he is burnt to death immediately....just come n visit otta were he hails from....a village in ruins....
ReplyDeleteOby na witchcraft, infact na coven
ReplyDeleteWetin Jonah do Obj for God's sake?
ReplyDeleteHmmm this bull dog again
ReplyDeleteYou guys should believe it or not ,,dats the fact ,,Jonathan would have collapse the country
ReplyDelete