FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo reopened yesterday what is arguably Nigeria’s most critical issue – leadership.

“You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job,” he told a crowd of would-be investors, dignitaries and ordinary folks in Dutse, capital of Jigawa State.

It was at the opening of the First Jigawa State Economic and Investment Summit at the Sir Amadu Bello Hall at the state secretariat.

Obasanjo did not elaborate on his statement and it was not immediately clear whether he was talking about the 2015 election. Jigawa State Governor Lamido is being rumoured to be interested in the presidential race with Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. He has said he is yet to think about 2015.

Although he did not mention the President’s name in Dutse yesterday, Obasanjo has been critical of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He has spoken against its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and the growing unemployment, saying it is a bomb waiting to explode.

Obasanjo said the government should have approached the Boko Haram insurgency the way he (Obasanjo) handled the killing of security men in Odi (Bayelsa State) and Zaki Biam (Benue State) communities when he was the president.

But President Jonathan fired back, saying the soldiers Obasanjo sent to Odi failed to get those who killed the security men.

Dr. Jonathan said as deputy governor of Bayelsa State at the time, he discovered, when he visited Odi after the military raid, that only women and children were killed by the soldiers.

Obasanjo has also in recent time, distanced himself from activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , which is immersed in crises. He resigned his membership of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

The former president however revealed that, he was the one who imposed Lamido on the people of Jigawa. He is happy that he was not disappointed, he said.

Obasanjo also called on governors to maintain cordial relationship with the Federal Government so as to ensure meaningful development.

He said there was need for governors to show full cooperation with the government at the centre for the common interest of the nation and its citizens.

The former President also described Jigawa state as a fertile ground for investment. He urged both local and international investors to locate their investment potentials in the state.

According to him, Jigawa is not only peaceful, it has acquired the needed infrastructure and resources capable of boosting business and enterprises.

Obasanjo described Jigawa state as the most investor-friendly in the country, citing stable security, peace and huge presence of needed infrastructure as his reasons.

Obasanjo said the problem of the country’s leadership is, “that of unmet expectations stressing that governments must invest in the people’s education to overcome poverty, redundancy and criminalities.

He explained that good governance is key for any practical and factual economic development plan, “the government is not expected to invest directly, but to provide enabling environment for private investors to exploit.

“The way Sule Lamido has revitalised the Jigawa State – education sector, adequate provision of good roads network, infrastructure, social security, free trade – has now made the state to be a haven for investors, and to the best of my knowledge, today there is nowhere in Nigeria where investors can have confidence in doing business that is greater than Jigawa State.

“I am optimistic that, this summit would help in making out long-term economic plan that would lead to the successful economic development that would be translated into the increase of employment, wealth creation, poverty reduction and improve the well-being of the people of the state and Nigeria”

Lamido recalled his inaugural speech six years ago. He said: “As you all might be aware, our state manifests the worst indices of underdevelopment.

“It was the electioneering campaign tour that exposed me to the problems of our people in that most pathetic degree. The tour brought me face to face with the uniquely unmitigated case of underdevelopment called Jigawa state”, he said.

The governor observed that as he settled down in office, he discovered that the elite in the state were living in a world of their own that ensured total disconnect with the ordinary citizens

He said his resolve to run the government best practices in governance has helped to liberate the state from the pains and agony of underdevelopment.

He said: “Today, we want to announce to the whole world with all the noise we can muster that we are ready and our doors are now open to take Jigawa to the next level”.

Chairman of the summit Lord Paul Boateng, said he has the conviction that the state can become a ‘Super Eagle’ in the economic world.

“Nigeria is Africa’s biggest direction for foreign investment”, he said, warning that “we must also need to recognise that Africa is the father of its own progress”.

In her vote of thanks, the Commissioner for Commerce, Hajiya Hauwa Sulaiman Baffa, thanked Diamond Bank among others for supporting the summit.

HolyTruth: May our good God grant common sense and wisdom to these set of Nigerian leaders.

The last time I checked, democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Why would OBJ detect, nominate,impose or rig in a Governor for the people of Jigawa? And even have the guts to openly announce it...congratulating him and himself as per being "the god" of the people of Jigawa.

This is an insult to the people of Jigawa...this is a let down and injustice. A show of shame!

bloggernaija: GEJ is toast .Abacha with all his strong man credentials ...........where is he now?OBJ has fired the first shot toward 2015 pdp primaries.

Dike Chimezie: Obj +Lamido + Amaechi + ...< GEJ + power of incumbency.
Lets wait and see.
Non stopping GEJ.
Obj is such an hypocrite and with all indication still unrepentant.

Dike Chimezie: Obj +Lamido + Amaechi + ...< GEJ + power of incumbency.
Lets wait and see.
Non stopping GEJ.
Obj is such an hypocrite and with all indication still unrepentant.

Billyonaire: Last night I was pondering about the Nigeria's PoliticoSphere; I am thankful for one thing - The Cabal of Iliterates that held power with arrogance and Oligarchical demeanour are being pushed aside one after the other. OBJ and his retired Generals are far from running this countries. The Educated and real Doctorate Degree Holders are running the affairs of Nigeria now, I want the States to purge themselves of half-educated 'men'.

Never again, should we allow these half-baked, half-educated, nomadic ex-militia, oligarchical, egostistic men to control the Nation. If it means, getting rid of them from the PDP and pushing them to powerless opposition, lets do it.

OHBEEJAH at his age should NOT be talking about changing leaders, cos he is NOT a good leader, he never was. He ran this country with ignominy and impunity. Fleecing Lagos State allocation for several years and disobeying the constitution. Now he feels he is a saint. He is supposed to be advisory as old men usually are, instead of picking sides.

malele:
“You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job,”

malele:
OBJ has been critical of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He has spoken against the growing unemployment, saying it is a bomb waiting to explode.

Obasanjo said the government should have approached the Boko Haram insurgency the way he (Obasanjo) handled the killing of security men in Odi (Bayelsa State) and Zaki Biam (Benue State) communities when he was the president.
But President Jonathan fired back, saying the soldiers Obasanjo sent to Odi failed to get those who killed the security men.

ckkris:
Obasanjo PDP is finished.