IMPLICATIONS OF THE LETTER TO GOODLUCK TO NIGERIAN ECONOMY

IMPLICATIONS OF THE LETTER TO GOODLUCK TO NIGERIAN ECONOMY

former President Obasanjo alleged, from his letter that President Jonathan is secretly training snipers and other armed personnel at the same place the late head-of-state General Sani Abacha, trained his own killers. In an 18-page letter to the president, titled “A letter of Appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan: Before it is too late,” former President Obasanjo accused President Jonathan of taking actions that are against the country’s best interests.

President Jonathan responded to the allegations, saying the invectives poured on him were unpatriotic, self-serving and malicious. Adding that he would soon personally reply former President Obasanjo in full measure, President Jonathan has in the meantime asked his aides and government official not to respond to the letter.

President Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati, took to Twitter to say: “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan is unbecoming, self-serving and highly provocative. The presidency acknowledges that it has indeed received the said letter from Chief Obasanjo.

THE TONE OF THE LETTER

The tone of the letter is; that of a letter from a loving father to son who need to put things right and this is confirmed from the reply from Goodluck Jonathan, when he fondly address Obasanjo as “Baba” which spurred most criticisms from angry Nigerians.

POINTS RAISED BY THE LETTER

1. Obasanjo stated that the current situation and consequent possible outcome dictate that he should, before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest, alert Goodluck on the impending danger ahead.

2. He also stated that none of the four or more letters that he (Obasanjo) have written to him in the past two years or so has elicited an acknowledgment or any response. This, record have shown that President Goodluck Jonathan is not the first he is writing to amongst other past leaders.

3. Again, he (Obasanjo) reiterated that people close to President Goodluck, including him the president; must have been asking, what does Obasanjo want?

4. Obasanjo also stated that he could sense a semblance between the situation that are gradually getting into and the situation Nigeria fell into as a nation during the Abacha era.

5. In his letter, he recommended that everything must be done to guard, protect and defend our fledgling democracy, nourish it and prevent bloodshed.

6. Nigerians must move away from advertently or inadvertently dividing the country along weak seams of North-South and Christian-Moslem.

7. Adding that nothing should be done to allow the country to degenerate into economic dormancy, stagnation or retrogression.

8. Some of our international friends and development partners are genuinely worried about signs and signals that are coming out of Nigeria

9. Nigeria should be in a position to take advantage of the present favourable international interest to invest in Africa – an opportunity that will not be open for too long

10. He finally stated that he is concerned about his (President Goodluck) legacy and his climb-down which he stated that only him alone (President Goodluck) can accept or reject.

Reference

Before its too late (2013). Retrieved from https://https://www.https://www.projectwriters.ng/education-gist/read-full-18-pages-obasanjoobj-letter-goodluck-jonathangej on 26 December, 2013