Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday denied calling for a revolution in Nigeria. Reacting to reports quoting him as saying that a revolution was imminent in the country, the former president said he was misquoted as he never made such comment. He said: “The person saying I talked about revolution taking place in Nigeria is talking nonsense; he doesn’t understand English.

“What I said was that as long as we do not pay adequate attention to solving the problem of unemployment, we are all sitting on a keg of gun powder. And it is a tickling time-bomb. All of us must realise that it is a serious problem. Our leaders must pay attention to this issue.

“That is not revolution. I never used the word revolution. Unemployment is a continental problem and indeed a global problem.

If a state can have over 50 per cent of its population as unemployed, it is a major problem that needs serious attention. “I didn’t mention revolution in my speech. Who will write a cheque for us in Africa?

Asked to clarify whether he spoke about a revolution happening in Nigeria, he said: “I didn’t. And that is not what I want for Nigeria. What I want for Nigeria is job creation for the youth not revolution.” Obasanjo was said to have predicted that a revolution loomed in Nigeria unless the government took urgent step to arrest youth unemployment and poverty.

The prediction was reportedly made at the weekend in a speech at a West African regional conference on youth employment in Senegal. Meanwhile, former President Obasanjo has asked political parties to do more in enforcing party discipline, proper implementation of their manifestoes, service delivery and national integration in their quest for power acquisition. Obasanjo spoke yesterday in Abuja as chairman of the first session of a two-day roundtable conference on “Party Politics and Election in Nigeria,” organised by the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS).

The former president expressed concern that in Nigeria, political parties’ manifestoes are being abused because they are only used to win elections and thereafter dumped by political parties. He wondered how a party in office would be assessed if not through the party’s manifestoes.

He observed that in the absence of manifestoes, it becomes difficult to hold political parties accountable in office. He said: “In Nigeria, manifestoes are prepared, read and thereafter thrown away after elections.

Worse still, in other instances, some political parties do not even have manifestoes. How then do we hold political parties accountable?”

While commenting on party discipline, Obasanjo stressed that no human institution or organisation, not the least, political parties can endure without party discipline, particularly under a multi-party democracy like Nigeria. He noted that it is party discipline that subjects the activities of members of the party to checks and ensures that the ideologies of political parties are sustained. On service, the former president implored political parties to do more because at the moment.

“We rarely find political parties delivering services to the people to justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorate”, he said. The conference, which was attended by the Senate President, David Mark, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Deputy Speaker of the House of representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; former President, Ibrahim Babangida; former principal officers of the National Assembly, chairmen of registered political parties in Nigeria, serving members of the National Assembly and some visiting members of the United States of America Congress.

In his keynote address while declaring the event open, Mark explained that intra party squabbles exist because political party affiliation in Nigeria is rarely anchored on ideology or any uniting and defined philosophy, but rather largely on crass opportunism. This, the Senate President said, undermines the capacity of the political party to govern effectively, even after gaining political power.

He expressed concerns that in reality, most of the current political parties in the country are fledging and hardly able to stand on their feet, while many others exists mainly on paper, and were floated to attract the financial subventions, which the 1999 constitution hitherto guaranteed them.

According to him, even the big parties, which control various executive and legislative arms of government are often mired by internal convulsions, lack of cohesion, indiscipline and glaring absence of internal democracy. These problems, Mark said have been the bane of party politics in Nigeria.

He described as unfortunate that the term lobbying has come to acquire a pejorative connotation, despite its many inherent and positive benefits, noting that this is due largely to the abuse to which it often liable.


http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/news/obasanjo-denies-calling-for-revolution/

Additional source please

OBJ shld rest. He is old and moreover what's his bizness with election when he is the master rigger

during ur time what were u able to achieve mtcheewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Whether or not you called for it, it may happen.

He admited we are sitting on a time-bomb. Then, what are we arguing about?. Of course the bomb will explode at a point. OBJ that's called REVOLUTION!!!.

If its revolution we need that will be ok naw if the end result will be achieved. If not that I want to obey the Bible I for don lead the team sef. What is a 70yrs old retired mind still doing in the office while young and intelligent people are wallowing in the street. In fact let it be revolution Reloaded.

Abeg free baba iyabo joor...he's jux an old man wey dey seek pple's attention

Yawn! Hey girl, my money never expire na, open make i go one ♍☺re round joor

AVWENAGHA: during ur time what were u able to achieve mtcheewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

if he has not achieve anything during his tenure then all those after him has not started anything. Despite his flaws the man tried small and he must be aplauded. Tell me one thing others has done

Obasanjo said 6, not HALF A DOZEN. Spot the difference.

bid4rich:

if he has not achieve anything during his tenure then all those after him has not started anything. Despite his flaws the man tried small and he must be aplauded. Tell me one thing others has done

go n ask ur fada dat question

Okay

Abeg make OBJ park well na hin cause all this katakata for dis cuntry

Inside OBJ and NL mods I no know who wicked pass No so-so ban ban dem sabi

Last to comment, thread hijacked and closed!

OBJ was not open to advice during his regime so let us hear word.

If you talk again erhn

Nonsense.

when are you guys going to stop this your childish attitude of first to comment, second to comment rubbish, when its not as if Seun Osewa is going to give you a reward it.

pls let this man be. OBJ is a hero and a widely respected man

Any revolution that will be BENEFICIAL to Nigeria must begin 1st with you &I changing our character for GOOD. You &I must do the right thing at all times. Anything short of that will just be replacing the current political leadership with MORE incompetent, MORE irresponsible and MORE corrupt &opportunistic persons. Whoever doubts this submission should look back in history and see how leadership at ALL levels have progressively gotten WORSE since independence when we had the likes of Awo till date. Anyway, OBJ was just running his mouth. The probability of an uprising occuring in Nigeria is slim, because the very people to organise it are more corrupt and WORSE than the very present political leaders at all levels. Nigeria's problems will be solved GRADUALLY, no magic wand. In the past some misguided persons looked for QUICK FIX (military coups) but this ended in worsening the situation and a CIVIL WAR. GEJ may not be charismatic or an orator, but he's taking some RIGHT steps

How do we redefine Nigerian if not by revolution since all the operators of democracy has failed woefully.All the players that has failed us will follow the sweeping tide.No outsider will do it for us we have to take our destiny in our own hands.We all have the power to bring about change in Nigeria.

Garri_Activist: Abeg make OBJ park well na hin cause all this katakata for dis cuntry

Inside OBJ and NL mods I no know who wicked pass No so-so ban ban dem sabi

Last to comment, thread hijacked and closed!

no mind the MODs,especially Maclatunji,he banned me till 2013,April 29. I wonder if Nairaland go still dey exist then sef,

this man and his holier than thou attitude makes me laugh in Urhobo. How can OBJ be talking of unemployment in Nigeria.What possible solutions does he have to the problem of unemployment;Honestly,We are tired of all these crap.If u dont hv a solution close ur toilet.How can BABA also complain of manifestoes?lol. We are now well informed and u cant deceive us again and for goodness sake,please dont bring comedy into burning national issues.

I believe him

Eat ur words..withdraw them deny them..i dont care..what i know is that wen revolution comes knocking..ur Ota Farms will not accomodate you..d Aso Rock bunker will be needed 4d 1st time..IBB's hilltop mansion would fall flat..buhari...and co..all of una go hear am..evryday 4d thief,..one day 4d?....of course u know!

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jude33084: Yawn! Hey girl, my money never expire na, open make i go one ♍☺re round joor

jude33084: Yawn! Hey girl, my money never expire na, open make i go one ♍☺re round joor

Bro make i join u?

Who could have taken obj's call for revolution seriously,except for an insane person like him?

Evil is driving him crazy,and he is turning against himself unconsciously by suggesting some "weird" things only good people can suggest,on how to deal with evils like him.

He is an epitome of evil,a thorn in the people's flesh and his on the other side,not with the people