Meeting The Challenge Of Human Capital Development In The New Nigerian Power Industry (2)

Click Here To Read Part One 

By Idowu Oyebanjo

The most worrisome thing is that those who are taking the lead in this matter do not understand how Electric Current flows. If you make use of Knowledgeable Power System Engineers of Nigerian descent, who work in the Electricity Industries in the developed economies, most likely you will achieve better results in less than four years. Ofcourse, these will work with qualified Consultants who know their onions but because they already have a foothold, they are more likely to get better value for money for Nigeria. The truth is that not all foreign Consultants will want electricity in Nigeria because this means Nigerians will leave their shores and return home, Nigerians will go to Universities in Nigeria, world economics will change and the propensity for Investment will shift to Nigeria to mention a few benefits that will result in electrifying the nation in darkness.

(pix:Guardian)

The way to go about this is to set up a summit to attract these Power Systems Engineers of Nigerian descent and bring them together to brainstorm on these ideas and more in support of this reform. They are everywhere and Government machineries could be used to track them down. For example, the Association of Nigerians in Diaspora was formed in the year 2000 by former president Obasanjo towards this end and have no doubt being functioning well since then. This could be one means of achieving this noble objective. The latest approach by SHELL Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), SHELL Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), the UK chapter of Nigerian in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) and the department for Trade and Investment in the UK in establishing a knowledge sharing framework and portal to boost Nigerian Content development and employment in the Oil and Gas Industry is required in the Power Sector. It need not have waited this long!

Meeting The Challenge Of Human Capital Development In The New Nigerian Power Industry (1)

By Idowu Oyebanjo

One of the myriads of problems bedevilling the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry is the dearth of knowledge of Power Systems in Nigeria and unfortunately worldwide. Having an efficient and reliable Power System requires dedication and hard work. To this end, there must be a clear focus on recruiting, training, and keeping the workforce for today and tomorrow. There is also the risk that developed countries will poach our Engineers once they have been trained, attracting them to say the least, with offers of citizenship in "greener pastures". Hence, a well articulated and constructive approach is required to ensure we meet this challenge and keep a sufficient level of expertise adequate for the survival of the Power Industry in Nigeria! How can this be done?

*Buhari

The foremost requirement is a regulation backed by law to ensure that various enablers are in place to support the deliberate development and optimal utilization of Nigerian human resources for the provision of  electricity services in the Power Industry. The emphasis should be on ensuring the active participation and growth of the Nigerian Industry and citizenry in the various services and activities that will be witnessed as Nigeria rebuilds her Power Network and Infrastructure. I say active here because lazy, selfish and myopic investors will partner technical companies from the developed economies who, for many good reasons, will prefer to carry out the actual design, fabrication, manufacturing and testing of equipment from their overseas offices and locations. This will create jobs and opportunities overseas and add little to our subject matter. With foot on the ground, business economics will prevail and within a reasonable period of time, so many companies will shift base to Nigeria to carry out these activities and more. Of course some balance is required here as the intention is not to stifle the development of the Power Industry and this is why those who understand the business of Electricity Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Supply are required to manage the process. In addition, there is need to track, monitor, review and measure the development of this objective at every stage. Statistical methods showing status quo ante and progress in the many areas is a must.

In view of the dearth of Knowledge of Power Systems in-country, the new owners of the Nigerian Power Assets, their technical consultants and Nigerian Professionals home and abroad should be asked to submit a list of the activities that they believe would be carried out in the short and long-term in the Power Industry. They should equally state those activities they would be more likely to provide services for pre-qualification and assessment of their capabilities or otherwise, to acceptable international standards. This should form a database akin to the Joint Qualification System (JQS) in use in the Oil and Gas Industry. The Nigerian Content Division of NNPC could be approached for help in this area.

Buhari, Nigeria Is Your Constituency

By Ikechukwu Amaechi

I am an advocate of merit. I believe that part of the problem of the country is that we have perfected putting square pegs in round holes. We sacrifice excellence on the altar of primordial mawkishness and nepotism with disastrous consequences.

I refrained from commenting before now on President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments which favour the North more than the South because I thought it was too early to start reading meanings into his actions.

His critics allege that there is a tinge of clannishness in all his appointments. These allegations are not new. He failed in his earlier attempts to become the chief tenant of Aso Rock because of the perception that he has a mindset that is not nationally inclined.

Many Nigerians, particularly those from the South, distrusted Buhari. He is perceived to be too cliquish, narrow and insular in his worldview despite his military background.

10 Most Corrupt Countries in the World

Again, The United States Gets 'Honourable Mention' 

*Obama (pix:Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Corruption and economic turmoil often go hand-in-hand. In western nations like the United States and many European countries, we often see corruption come to light as the result of whistleblowers or journalistic efforts. But in many other areas of the world, however, corruption plays a major role in fostering staggering poverty and broken economic systems in a much more blatant way.

Oftentimes, specific power structures and government architectures provide an easier means for corrupt politicians, businessmen, or military officials to exploit the system. Many governments have their roots in constitutions from generations ago, and have outgrown their current systems. Many other countries are ruled by a variety of independent tribal leaders and often lack a centralized power structure with any meaningful sway.

Transparency International developed a comprehensive list of the world’s most corrupt nations last year, and the countries that top the list probably won’t come as much of a surprise to many. The study ranks countries on a scale from 0 to 100, with zero being the most corrupt, and 100 being the least.

Of course, corruption comes in a variety of forms, so getting a precise gauge is difficult. But perception itself is a very strong tool, and can have a big effect on its own. If the study reveals anything, it’s that the world overall has a huge issue in terms of corrupt officials. By looking at the Corruptions Perception Index, along with the existing power structures and economic systems within each country, the picture does become a bit clearer. That’s why we dug a little deeper, examining the rankings for ourselves.

Although not among the top ten, we’ve included the United States on the list to give perspective as to where America ranks internationally in terms of corruption and economic strife. By Transparency International’s calculations and scale, the U.S. is sitting fairly pretty, although it’s common knowledge that there are definitely issues with how things are run in Washington. Other countries you might expect to see like Russia, Mexico, or Venezuela all have their places as well, and the full list of 177 nations can be viewed straight at the source from Transparency International.

Here are the most corruptnations in the world, as ranked by Transparency International, with additionalinsight into the issues and factors plaguing each one.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE MOST CORRUPT COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD 

Corruption War In Nigeria: A Vote For President Buhari

By Dan Amor 

For most dispassionate observers of the Nigerian political scene, the only thing which has destroyed the fabric of this country even more than any conventional war, is corruption. This hydra-headed monster has become Nigeria's middle name. Aside from the untoward image this menace has wrought on the country and the insult and embarrassment it has caused innocent Nigerians abroad, it has inflicted irreparable damage to the basic foundations that held the country together.

*Buhari 

Corruption has stunted our economic growth, our social and physical infrastructure, our technological and industrial advancement and has decapitated our institutions, which is why our over 40 research institutes are no longer functional because they are headless. Even our academic and military establishments and other security agencies cannot in all sincerity be exonerated from the deadly effects of unbridled corruption. The determination of President Muhammadu Buhari to combat corruption and to go after suspects irrespective of their ethnic or political leanings should enlist the sympathy of all well-meaning Nigerians. It is the more reason why even the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which controlled the central government and a greater number of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, recently endorsed the corruption war.

As Nigerians we certainly do not need any soothsayer to tell us that ours is a corrupt country. We see corruption live everyday. We see Mr. Corruption stalk the streets, the roads and the highways across the country. We see Mr. Corruption bid us goodbye at the airports and welcome us back into the country. We Nigerians greet Mr. Corruption at the seaports and border posts as we clear our cargoes into the country. We shake the juicy hands of Mr. Corruption as we savour the winning of a lucrative contract. Truly, Nigeria, which in 1996 was ranked by Transparency International as the second most corrupt country in the world, achieved the utmost when in 1997 it was voted the most corrupt country on the face of the earth. Ever since, the country has had the misfortune of being grouped among the five most corrupt countries in the world. There can never be any stigma as heinous as this in the comity of nations across the world.

Since the current democratic political experiment started in May 1999, all successive governments have had to place anti-corruption war as part of their programmes of action, popularly known as manifestos or agendas. Yet, all had paid lip service to the fight against corruption except the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which is showing signs of its determination to tackle the monster head on. As can be deduced from the body language and actions of the president himself, Nigerians are now confident that this battle will commence with the resoluteness it deserves. Successive administrations, in spite of their much vaunted hoopla over corruption war, were ironically refuting the claims of the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) that Nigeria was stinking with the evil stench of corruption.

New African Magazine August 2015 Out Now

AUGUST ISSUE OF NEW AFRICAN – OUT NOW! 
Monday, 10^th August/ London:

Ethiopia is increasingly in the spotlight for a number of reasons. As Africa's oldest independent country and the second largest in terms of population it has served as a symbol of African independence throughout the colonial period, was a founder member of the United Nations and remains the African base for many international organisations, most notably the African Union Commission. Most recently Ethiopia hosted thousands of delegates at third international conference on Financing for Development and played host to the US President Barack Obama during the first visit by a serving American president to that country. Addis Ababa will also be the venue for the forthcoming Africa Japan Business Investment Forum (http://ic-events.net/event/africa-japan/) at the end of August 2015.

The latest issue of New African magazine carries an exclusive, in depth and broad ranging interview with Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn. Topics covered include the PM’s views on democracy and the greater inclusion of opposition and other voices, good governance, employment creation and an overview of the country’s inclusive Growth and Transformation Plan with its focus on indigenisation, manufacturing and industrialisation, as well as broader issues impacting the Horn of Africa. We also get an insight into the life and times of Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Emerson Mnangagwa and the former Prime Minister of Namibia Nahas Angula.

Also in this issue – the cover story takes a futuristic look at Africa’s role in shaping its own developmental agenda, as Africa’s leaders and leading policymakers prepare to join other world governments at the United Nations in September in order to adopt the much-talked about new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the landmark Millennium Development Goals draw to a close.

Other features include ‘Kenya/Tech’, the Kenyan government's new startup craze; a look at development aid to Africa from a Nordic perspective; the rise of Venture Capital firms in Africa and a narrative on a new movement in East Africa to make motorcycle taxis, one of the most popular forms of transport, safer. Alongside these stories are the regular Opinion pieces, cultural reviews and sector reports,  

The August issue is out now and digitally available via http://www.exacteditions.com/newafrican. It is also available on Apple and Android app stores

Electricity Crisis In Nigeria: Can Buhari Break The Jinx?

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

If former President Goodluck Jonathan had succeeded in solving the ever-worsening electricity crisis in Nigeria, he would have left office last May as one of Nigeria’s   greatest leaders. And that is, assuming that singular feat would not have been able to reelect him by deflating the strong, vicious and clearly unedifying campaign bolstered by unrealistic promises massively deployed against him by the opposition.

*Jonathan and Buhari

Granted, the Olusegun Obasanjo regime, allegedly, squandered some $16 billion to plunge the country deeper into darkness, but Jonathan is no Obasanjo, and I doubt if his ambition was to come into office to reenact the Obasanjo disaster. Jonathan’s failure, therefore, to realize the strategic role of electricity in the life of modern man and demonstrate that five years was enough for him to write his name in gold by lighting up the country is the key reason, I think, he left office with his head bowed, despite his very noble act of conceding defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari, thus aborting the desperation of those waiting in the wings to exploit the situation to unleash terrible mayhem in the country and waste drums of innocent blood. 

The problem, I think is that, President Jonathan really stretched political naivety far beyond its malleable limit when he failed to realise that the regime of darkness and unspeakable extortion unleashed on Nigerians by the private operators currently generating and distributing electricity in Nigeria was gradually exerting some influence on the way Nigerians perceived his government. Those companies appeared to have conspired to work extremely hard to further compound his already growing image problems and deepen grave disaffection against him among the populace. And no one should have realized it better than the former president that such a situation was too harmful to be allowed to endure, especially, on the eve of a very bitterly contested election. But Jonathan and his party were insufferably complacent and took several things for granted until a devastating defeat was served him like an unexpected, unappetizing breakfast. 

 

It would seem that he realized only too late in the day (assuming he ever did) that he was facing a peculiar kind of opposition: one which, though, pitiably lacking in brighter ideas or better preparation for governance (as Nigerians are already witnessing), appeared more adept in chronicling and magnifying the failings of his government. And so, it was easy for them to promise largely unrealistic alternatives and got sizable number of people to buy into their grand illusion that the only solution to Nigeria’s many problems was just the exit of Jonathan.   

Buhari, Obasanjo And Emeka Offor

By Mohammed Al-Bishak

No sooner had Premium Times published on Monday, August 3, 2015, the first part of its interview with erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo than it went viral. Though the immediate context of the interview was the publication of Obasanjo’s controversial trilogy entitled My Watch, the questions from the interviewers were forthright and wide ranging, and the responses quite interesting. Early in the interview, Obasanjo devoted considerable time and sentiments to an evaluation of a controversial government contractor, Emeka Offor, and his activities.

*Emeka Offor

“Take for example the decision on privatizing all refineries”, remarked the former president in respect of certain decisions he took in the days of his administration which were reversed by the succeeding Umaru Yar’Adua governemnt which he had handpicked. “I explained (in my memoirs) that what I met were refineries that were not working, refineries that were given to an amateur for repairs, for maintenance, what they call turn-around maintenance, to the company of the Emeka Offor group. Where has Emeka Offor maintained refineries before? Where has he? That’s what we met. So, refineries were not working.”

The diligent team of reporters tried to find out from him why he did not bother to recover the huge amounts paid to Offor’s companies, and the retired army general, noted for ebullience, surprisingly sounded helpless before a mere civilian, a mere government contractor, almost half his age. Here are his words: “ (Recover money from)a man who was paid upfront? He had people. He got some police….People were there. And Emeka Offor, after I left (office), became friends with every government that has come”. Offor was, no doubt, friends with the Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan governments. With this interview, Obasanjo is strongly warning the new Muhammadu Buhari administration to avoid controversial contractors like a plague. Otherwise, they would ruin the new government they way they destroyed governments before it. I should think there is merit in the wise counsel because Buhari is globally recognized for high personal integrity, and his government is the last hope of the Nigerian people to get out of the corruption cancer which has metastised all over the country.

 

*Buhari and Obasanjo

It is necessary to explain the relationship between Offor and the refineries. Offor founded a firm known as Anchoff Strongholds which was a clearing agent for the Warri Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Company (WPRC) and later became its supplier. Between 1993 and 1994 it stunned the petroleum industry worldwide by becoming the first African company to carry out a turn-round maintenance (TAM) on the 125,000 barrels per day WRPC. It was assisted by Gidado Idris, then permanent secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who was to become chairman of all of Offor’s companies. But practically no work was done. A probe led by Aret Adams, the best group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) ever, was instituted. The report recommended the dismissal of the WRPC managing director, Dr Owokalu, for his role in the scandal. The government acted promptly. The report also recommended the blacklisting of Anchoff Strongholds and its promoters and their ban from ever doing business with the NNPC. It was accepted.

But in the typical Nigerian fashion, the latter recommendations were circumvented. Anchoff promoters formed a new company and named it Chrome. Meanwhile, Gidado Idris had taken over from Aminu Saleh as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation under General Sani Abacha’s military dictatorship. Chrome was awarded the contract to do the TAM on the 210,000barrel per day Port Harcourt Refinery and Petrochemical Company, which is much bigger than the Warri refinery whose TAM had become an international scandal. Ever since then, all the country’s refineries have become comatose. This is the background to Obasanjo’s anger over the sweetheart deals between various Nigerian governments and Offor.

Yet, I have tremendous difficulties with the impression which ex President Obasanjo has sought to give about his relationship with Offor. There is overwhelming evidence that Obasanjo not only empowered Offor but went out of his way to do so; in the process he violated all known rules and ethical standards. I would like to cite just an example which I know pretty well: the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) between Nigeria and the twin island of Sao Tome and Principe.

Obama, Clean Your Own House First!

Young Africans Tell US President...

(pix:deverpost)

President Obama came to Africa to deliver a "blunt message" to its politicians. But young people in Kenya and Ethiopia had plenty to say to Mr Obama about the state of America.

"Tough love" has been a theme of President Obama's visit to East Africa.

The moments where he really came alive on this trip were not just when he talked of his love for Africa, but also when he spoke passionately about human rights.Standing beside the Kenyan president he likened the pursuit of gay rights in Africa to the civil rights struggle in the US. 

To an enthralled crowd in a stadium in Nairobi he talked of the importance of women in society.He talked of the need to eradicate corruption and treat fairly minority communities, including Muslims in Kenya."Progress requires that you see the differences and diversity of this country as a strength, just as we in America try to see the diversity of our country as a strength," he said.

"I always say that what makes America exceptional is not the fact that we're perfect, it's the fact that we struggle to improve. We're self-critical. We work to live up to our highest values and ideals."

Kenyans and Ethiopians were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, even fanatical, about their returning East African son, but there were many who felt America, even Barack Obama, was not in a position to lecture others on some of these points.

"Most Americans think about what needs to change in other countries but they need to solve their own problems," Shiferaw Tilahun, tells me in a coffee shop in Addis Ababa.

"They are interested in other people's problems but they don't care about black people in their own country," Shiferaw says. "Most of our black brothers and sisters are suffering in the US."

It was clear in both countries that the issue of race, more than any other, had damaged people's perceptions of the US."When I speak to my friends and family here in Kenya, their feeling about America is 'clean your own house first'," says Teresa Mbagaya.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE 

Buhari's Unprecedented Divisive And Vindictive Declaration - PDP

 

*Buhari with Kerry (US Secretary of State)

Press Conference By The National Publicity Secretary Of The PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, Today, Sunday, July 26, 2015 At The PDP National Secretariat, Abuja

Gentlemen of the press, we have once again called you up to address a number of very important issues constituting a threat to our democracy, the general health of our nation and our welfare as citizens under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

Last Thursday, our dear President, President Muhammadu Buhari returned from his much-publicised visit to the United States of America. A visit which has proven to be anything but successful, yet another miscarried cosmetic intervention to hide government’s inefficiency and inability to face the real business of governance.

As a responsible political party, committed to peace and the stability of our dear nation, the PDP restrained itself from embarrassing the President by not raising, while he was in the States, issues of harassment of citizens, interferences in the activities of the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), total disregard for tenets of democracy, resort to sole administratorship as well as other violations which have become the order of the day in Nigeria since the inauguration of his administration.

Rather, we remained calm, while hoping and praying that the visit would afford our President and his party leaders reasonable tutorials on the respect and application of the tenets of democracy and fundamental rights of citizens under the rule of law.

This is in addition to the fact that as patriotic citizens, we looked forward for gains especially given our restated support for any action or policy by the Federal Government aimed at stamping out corruption, ending insurgency and promoting economic growth, which formed parts of the publicised agenda for the visit.

However, now that the visit has come and gone, our fear is that nothing whatsoever has been learnt or gained. What we continue to receive as a nation have been embarrassing disagreements, accusations and counter accusations, blames and denials on very important issues due to lack of tact and skill in the management of state matters by the APC-led administration.

*Metuh

It is disheartening that rather than secure any sort of tangible gain for the fight against terrorism, which has lost steam under the APC watch, with insurgents, who were pushed to the verge of surrender by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, now surging back and spreading into the country, we get nothing but exchanges and disagreements between the Presidency and their American hosts. This is not only embarrassing but also worrisome indication of crass ineptitude in the handling of international affairs on the part of the present administration.

We urge the APC-led administration to settle down, put its acts together and get determined, without further excuse, to face the fight against insurgency with every sense of seriousness especially given President Buhari’s promise in his April 2, 2015 CNN interview to end the scourge two months after his inauguration, which is by the end of this month.

Also, while Nigerians awaited for reassuring words to promote our democracy and unity as a nation, they were shocked as they watched President Buhari unfold to the world his decision to administer the country on the basis of the voting pattern in the last general elections rather than on equity as stipulated by the constitution and his oaths of office as the President of Nigeria.

President Buhari told a stunned audience in the US that “constituencies that gave me 97 percent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me 5 percent”, signifying that his government will be discriminatory.

Never in the history of our nation has a president made such a divisive and vindictive declaration. Never in the history of Nigeria has a President made such tendentious, biased and partisan statement, a blade on the chord of unity of his own country and people.

The World's Most Optimistic People Live in Africa

A farmer, left, accepts cash payment for his grain from a buyer in the

 village of Damo Dulele, Ethiopia, in February 2015. Growth in Ethiopia has beaten every sub-Saharan country over the past decade.  (Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg)

Emerging Nations Are Home To More Upbeat Consumers, While Advanced Economies See Dark Clouds

Sure, France has Paris, Provence and the Palace of Versailles. But when it comes to optimism about the domestic economy, the French have nothing on Ethiopians.

The three countries with the brightest prospects in the next year are all emerging or developing economies in Africa, while three with the bleakest outlooks are advanced economies, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted March 25 through May 27.

Nigeria tops the charts, with 92 percent of respondents seeing their economy improving in the next 12 months, compared with a net 5 percent who said it would stay the same or worsen. Residents in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia were similarly upbeat, with more than 80 percent of people in each country projecting economic progress.

On the other end of the scale, Poland was home to the smallest share of respondents seeing faster economic momentum in the next year, with just 16 percent holding that view. France — where almost half of those polled thought things would get worse — showed the weakest readings among advanced economies. See the best and worst here:  

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE REPORT

Nigerians And Their Anti-Corruption Charade

By Chinweizu

Sundoor999@gmail.com

26jan15

Anybody who thinks that, under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, any government, party or president can eradicate corruption is like a man who expects a worm to give birth to a lion, or who wants to go to heaven but doesn’t want to die.

If Nigerians are at all serious in their endless noisemaking against corruption, they must, as a first step, get rid of their 1999 Constitution. Anybody who is claiming he can end corruption but who isn’t campaigning to get rid of the 1999 Constitution is a fraud.

But Nigerians are not serious. First of all, they love what they call corruption, they became addicted to it right from the 1950s. They want to loot and squander, that’s why they don’t really want corruption tackled.  Secondly, they love their noisemaking against it. If “corruption” was eliminated, they would lose their favorite topic for complaining. In this matter of denouncing corruption, Nigerians are like a rich hypochondriac who is addicted to his symptoms and to the attention he gets because of his condition, and doesn’t want it cured. He refuses to go for the diagnostic tests that can determine the cause of his symptoms so it can be treated. Instead he keeps going from one quack doctor to another, each of whom claims to have the magic cure for his condition. Of course all that each wants is to get at his money and take his share and run. So each denounces his predecessor and gets his chance until the next quack doctor displaces him, and he leaves the patient uncured and even worse, and the hypochondriac is happy that his symptoms are still with him.

Which coup maker in the past 50 years hasn’t claimed he has come to get rid of corruption only to get even more corrupt than those he threw out? Which presidential candidate hasn’t claimed the same intention and ability only to fail when he got into office? Why has that been so? There are three main reasons why that has been so since 1999:

Why Obasanjo Must Leave Jonathan Alone

By Dan Amor 
At the convocation ceremony of Benson Idahosa University, Benin City last weekend, former president Olusegun Obasanjo who delivered the convocation lecture was quoted as saying that Nigerians should not blame him for the failure of the immediate past President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He also was quoted as saying that the actions of Jonathan as President for six years would continue to haunt the people of the South South geo-political region for a long time to come. Obasanjo who continues to pose as a messiah despite his monumental failure for eight miserable years as a civilian dictator (1999-2007) would not brook any nimbling in castigating Jonathan even when he knows that Jonathan preformed better than him by far. This has now become his stock-in-trade since 2012 when it became obvious to him that Jonathan would not allow him to have his scuttled third term agenda through the back door. 

*Jonathan, Obasanjo

Jonathan resisted his attempt to manipulate him while acting as the Board of Trustees chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP). When he tried this gambit a few months to the 2015 presidential election, Nigerians had thought that his mission was simply to sway Jonathan's support base. But the reactions of Nigerians of varied backgrounds to Obasanjo's old tricks showed that Nigerians are no fools. The people's condemnation of Obasanjo's arrant hypocrisy was overwhelming. The first reaction came from no less a personality than the traditional ruler of Lagos, His Majesty Oba Rilwan Akiolu,  who said that Obasanjo's government was the most corrupt in the history of Nigeria. The respected monarch cannot be more correct. Amidst Obasanjo's catalogue of anti-corruption verbal interventions, the question that now begs for an urgent answer is: is Obasanjo among the Saints? Yet Obasanjo is still bashing Jonathan even after the latter has lost election. Analysts now believe that Obasanjo's recent diatribe against Jonathan is just the manifestation of his bottled up anger that the Bayelsa born former President has won international acclaim over his display of the highest form of civility by conceding victory to his opponent even when the actual result was still evolving.


Now, he is poised to incriminate Jonathan while making himself look like a saint before Nigerians. But does Obasanjo possess the moral credentials to speak from a higher pedestal than Jonathan? Due largely to the lamentable short memory of homosepiens, it seems as though we have forgotten so soon about the person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his recent past. But the poor boy from Owu Village in Ogun State was led by fortuitous and opportunistic circumstances to have a rendezvous with history and destiny. Against his will and command, Obasanjo became head of state after the assassination of his boss, General Murtala Muhammed. He was said to have been the man who launched Nigeria into the estranged comity of heavily indebted nations when he took the first ever N1 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan in 1978 when the Nigerian currency was 75 kobo to the United States dollar. It was said that more than half of this money was not accounted for by General Obasanjo while a fraction of it was left for the incoming administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari in October 1979.