Obasanjo made the comment in an interview with The Point newspaper, published in the tabloid’s Monday edition.
He said his administration’s mistakes were genuine, and that his government was devoid of personal interests.
“People who worked with me, it doesn’t matter where they come from, they remember what we did together. There is no question of favouritism, there is no question of, yes, this is my kith and kin. There is no question of this is my personal interest,” he said.
“I never say that we didn’t make mistake or we are perfect, but whatever mistake we made was a genuine mistake. It wasn’t a mistake we made as a result of selfishness.”
Obasanjo dismissed the claim he did not do enough for Yoruba land while president, saying his focus was on Nigeria as a whole.
He said his non-partisanship currently is a reflection of his focus and commitment to Nigeria.
“Some Yoruba have come to me and said you didn’t do enough for the Yoruba. I said, ‘Yes, did I do for Nigeria?’ They said, ‘You did?’ I asked, is Yoruba not part of Nigeria? If I did as I could for Nigeria and Yoruba are part of Nigeria, then I have done for the Yoruba as well as I have done for Igbo, Hausa and so on. I think that must guide us,” he said.
“Yes the question is what is my guiding principle? Nigeria. You know it is true I became the President on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Now I am not a PDP man, I am not an APC (All Progressives Congress) man, even I am not an ADC (African Democratic Congress) man. But if you ask for my party, I will say Nigeria is my party.”
The former president said Nigeria can be great with generational consistency in good leadership.
He asked incumbent leaders to look beyond the moment because their actions will be a reference point later in the future.
“The point you must bear in mind is that this country can be a great country. We have everything to make this country great. And that is what always worries me. When you see what we can do, how to do it, and we are not doing it. That is really unfortunate,” he said.
“Can we get there? I believe we can. All we need is one generation of consistency in leadership, we will be there. That is what we need. We need one generation of right leadership consistently.
“When you are in a position of leadership, don’t think only of today, think of tomorrow, because, look, you would be a reference point. How did he perform? How did he do? What did he do? In future, people would refer to it. For one thing, I have no mind for malice. I cannot even think of malice. And when I have a job to do, I sink myself into it.”
from the cable.ng
Ok but who cares?
ReplyDeleteI wonder
DeleteVery true, as baba never consider yoruba nation first, but rather nigeria interest. Unlike the present one with cow and fulani agenda.
ReplyDeleteMy best Nigeria president. If only the current occupier in Abuja will do %15 of all Obj did, we will be on a right footing.
ReplyDeleteI am Igbo, but Nigerian.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best president Nigeria ever had, both military and civilian.
*First to hand over to an elected government in 1979
*left 21 aircraft in the Nigerian Airway fleet and came back in 1999 to none.
*Allowed technocrats to work; Okonjo, Soludo, Ezekwesili, Nuhu, Akunyili
-Nigeria was zero dollars in debt
_Poli-thieves even from his pdp went to Jail; Ibori, Alams, Tafa...even police boss went to jail.
Very good and conscise collaboration between efcc and interpol/Scotland yard/FBI etc.
-stability in the Naira
-Due process in contracts and procurement courtesy of Ezekwesili's brain work.
-Take Ampiclox and you know it is ampiclox and not okpa powder courtesy of Akunyili's resilience and dogedness.
*Nigeria had respect outside
*First to hand over to another civilian government...
And then the mess started 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨
"The then the mess started" and the downward spiral got out of hand. Cow first, Fulani second, Hausa third, south west fourth and the rest of the country can burn to ashes
DeleteObj tried shah. On health sector, I raise hand for him.
Delete@Mao
DeleteYes, another thing he did on health sector was to
get all the teaching hospitals to relocate to permanent sites
that were well equipped. He simply told them that if they did not
move into there, no salary and see the rush. For the first time,
teaching hospitals had CT-scans, MRI and other hi-tech equipment.
This man has his flaws but he is still the best president i have experienced since i was born in Babangida era.
ReplyDeleteWe are not blessed with great leaders in Africa and even Nigeria. But he is d best out of d lot of bad leaders i have personally experienced in my own life-time. Dont know abt before........
👌👍💯
DeleteStill prefer baba iyabo, to this present
ReplyDeletegovt
Yawnnnnnn
ReplyDeleteSo many mistakes still on going today but I believed he should have done better.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteHe never set a standard while leaving and he gave us a sick president even when he knew he had health challenges cos his third term agenda was bursted.
He took land forcefully from so many people in Ogun state and the Federal govt was paying his staff for a long time. Baba too was selfish just that he was smart about it. All na theif!
I can't even see light/hope,Lord we pray for your mercy.
For all i care to say....
ReplyDeleteBaba fine for this picture...
Courtesy of smile(hehe)
I always tell people, smile and dash out that ugliness in you.
Baba Owu
ReplyDeleteBest president so far, with laudable achievements, we use phones today courtesy him, all hospitals done under him, have been destroyed or poorly managed, so many things, rather than these idiots we have now, they should have given him fourth term. The only president that didnt care where you came from so long as you can work and achieve results. They have taken us 20years back from where he left us, yes he had his own mistakes, but national interest was more important in his administration than personal interest. Lets tell ourselves the truth. May God save Nigeria some day...
ReplyDeleteFourth term ko...Fourth term ni. Kuku make am life president.
DeleteBest president so far, with laudable achievements, we use phones today courtesy him, all hospitals done under him, have been destroyed or poorly managed, so many things, rather than these idiots we have now, they should have given him fourth term. The only president that didnt care where you came from so long as you can work and achieve results. They have taken us 20years back from where he left us, yes he had his own mistakes, but national interest was more important in his administration than personal interest. Lets tell ourselves the truth. May God save Nigeria some day...
ReplyDelete