Sunday, January 25, 2009
OBASANJO-ATIKU, AN OMINOUS HONEYMOON?
It certainly does not bode well for Nigeria to see these two discredited men warming up to themselves this passionately? Like a love-struck couple, they have been at it since their infamous meeting at Otta few weeks ago. It has been a frenzy of "boy meet girl" meetings all over the country with "smooching" pictures, methodically released to the gullible Nigerian audience as a testimony of the new rapprochement of two bitter enemies? This is the third time within the last two weeks, that both men have been captured by cameras, professing their undying "love" for one another and you say to yourself, really? The newly found love-affair, between Olusegun Obasanjo and Abubakar Atiku is an ominous sign that Nigeria is in real danger, once again. It portends calamity for Nigeria! That Nigeria's well being is at stake is obvious when these two former sworn enemies embark on a wild-romance as once again captured in this photograph, taken in Katsina recently. Icheoku says, these two power-hungry lunatics must be stopped forthwith and by all means necessary, if Nigeria is to survive their shenanigans. Nigerians, ask yourself, what could bring these two foes back to this close "kissing" proximity, if not their selfish evil scheme for another power-grab; after they almost drove Nigeria aground between 1999 and 2006? Nigerians, are you going to let these two evil-men have their way once again? Remember the popular aphorism, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, so Nigerians, will you be fooled once again by these two urchins? Icheoku says, guard your loins Nigerians and be prepared to stop these two men cold in their tracks, otherwise, forever mortgage your freedom of conscience!
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Yar’Adua Dismisses Obasanjo-Atiku Reunion
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Golu Timothy, Abuja
January 27th, 2009
The Presidency moved yesterday to douse the anxiety generated by the recent meeting between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy Atiku Abubakar.
Yar’Adua spoke through his special adviser on media and communication, Mr. Segun Adeniyi saying that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is not in anyway rattled by the reunion of the two former leaders.
Adeniyi argued that the president is unperturbed with the Obasanjo-Atiku reconciliation.
"Why should the president be uncomfortable with the former president and former vice president? In fact I rode on the same bus with them on Saturday in Katsina; the president, the vice president, the former president, former vice president and Gen. Babangida. It was fun. There is no big deal. I mean these were people who worked together for eight years; the abnormal thing will be that they are not together. So, that they are friends again, the president is very much comfortable with it, he has no problem with that."
Aso Rock also disclosed through its spokesman that Yar'Adua's two weeks official vacation which began yesterday, was not meant to attend to any health problem, but an opportunity for him to rest and be with his family.
"As you are already aware, the President is taking two weeks vacation from today and will be spending it in Nigeria . He will spend a few days at the Presidential Resort Obudu Cattle Ranch, another few days in Dodan Barracks, Lagos and the last couple of days in Katsina."
The vacation, he added, 'has nothing to do with his health. I think every president needs time away to relax, rejuvenate and possibly reflect and unwind. I think that is the essence of it. And why now, why not now? I think while we wait for the budget, maybe in the next two weeks, the budget will be ready and then if he relaxes now it is even better so that when he comes back he will be fully charged to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. I don't think there is any big deal about it but I think it is even better now as we await the budget."
On why the President handed over to his VP, Adeyini said, "it is not a handover per se. I mean the SGF was just stating the obvious; when the President is away whatever issues that arise the VP will deal with them. I think the background to it was what happened in Council on Wednesday. There was a debate at the Federal Executive Council of some of the principal ministers who when they travel out nothing happens in their ministry because the ministers of state cannot act. And the President said it there, that as far as he is concerned, if there are issues he should deal with and if he is not available, the rule there is that the VP will deal with such situations. So if he is on vacation, it goes without saying that the VP will take charge. That is just a normal thing, not hand over per se, the President is still the president and is still in charge, there is no big deal about it. The SGF felt he should state that which I think helps me because there would have been questions like when the president is on leave who is in charge and all what not."
Regarding the 2009 budget yet to be passed, he said, "we will cross that bridge when we get there. If the budget is passed the president will assent to it."
Adeniyi said, due to the vacation, the president may not attend the African Union, (AU) summit, but will be represented by his vice, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
He explained further by saying that, "there is a presidential resort at Obudu Cattle Ranch which was built as a presidential getaway. Its good for the president to even take a vacation. I mean every president needs time to reflect and I think the resort is actually good for him. It was actually built for such things like you have Camp David in the US and I mean what do you get abroad that you don't have in Nigeria . Travelling abroad or staying at home I think its actually better to stay at home and that is the choice of the president. He will rather stay at home than travel abroad. Is it not proper for the president to take a time out to reflect? I mean this morning I was just going through presidents who go on vacation, I mean we try to borrow a leaf from the US and I discovered that the president who took the least vacation was President Jimmy Carter 79 days, Ronald Regan took 365 days and the longest so far is President George Bush who took 600 days. I mean the meltdown started from the US. When the President is on leave he will actually have time to reflect on the situation in the country and even this global financial crisis. How do we tackle some of these challenges? A time of vacation is a time to get away in which you detach yourself from some of these things and have time to reflect on some of these challenges. I believe it is a positive development that the president is taking a vacation at this period", he said.