Chief Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha
is the
former
governor of
Bayelsa
State who
was
impeached
in
controversial
circumstances
during
Olusegun
Obasanjo’s
administration over corruption allegations. He was
later convicted and jailed for similar charges. But
he was pardoned by President Goodluck
Jonathan, amid allegations of nepotism, as he
was the boss of Jonathan when they were
running their home state of Bayelsa. In this
interview, he speaks on the current face-off
between President Jonathan and ex-president
Obasanjo and on his personal encounter with the
latter. Excerpts:
What is your reaction to the letter written to
President Jonathan by former president Olusegun
Obasanjo?
I want to start by saying that this is a democratic
government. Today it is President Goodluck
Jonathan, yesterday it was Umaru Musa
Yar’adua, the day before yesterday it was Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo. The office of the president of
the country is an institution; it is not personified
per se, in terms of policies and programmes. The
aggregation of our thoughts is that when the
president was voted into power he had been
mandated to execute state policies on behalf of
the citizens. President Jonathan is not a super
human being, so if the country is drifting in the
eyes of objective and patriotic persons in the
country, they can come out and proffer better
solutions after identifying the problems. But such
criticisms must be constructive and not laced
with bias, hatred and sentiment. Such alternative
views should be passed on with love and genuine
intentions. Once it is perceived that such a
criticism has hidden motives outside fairness,
then it becomes questionable.
The advice, through a letter to President
Jonathan, no doubt is coming from a respected
person who has ruled the country both as a
military head of state and as a two-time
president of a democratic government. Yes, we
can concede to him, he has the in-depth
knowledge of governance. He has seen it all, and
so a letter coming from him should not be taken
on the face value. In my objective opinion, I will
say President Jonathan and his aides should look
at it and make a proper analysis of the content.
But my grouse with the entire scenario is that the
approach to writing the letter to President
Jonathan is very mischievous and there is clear
bias and sentiments in the circumstance which
has caused it to generate some controversy.
At least as a former governor, I will say that I
have encountered Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Obasanjo I know, when he was the president
of this country had displayed all the things he is
alleging against Jonathan even more than any
other leader in the country. There is no issue he
has raised in his letter that he did not do when he
was at the head of government in this country.
That is why I am insisting that Chief Obasanjo is
mischievous in his intent of writing the letter to
Goodluck Jonathan and leaking it to the press.
Chief Obasanjo’s character is that if it is not him
it should not be anyone else. He is ‘Mr Know all’.
He will call you for a meeting to come and
brainstorm to proffer solutions to a problem. He
will tell you about the problem and proffer
solution without giving you room to make any
contribution to what he invited you to. That is his
character.
What is your reaction to the aspect of the letter
which says that Jonathan should forget 2015?
It surprises me that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is
the one insinuating about the aspiration of
President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015. To be
precise, on 18th of August 2005, then President
Obasanjo called me into his inner office and asked
me why I was supporting his Vice Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar. He offered to give me whatever I would
have benefitted supporting Atiku. He told me that
if I don’t work for him it’s possible he would give
it to my deputy. He had explained to me that he
was not the oldest president in Africa that he
wants to continue for an extended tenure in office.
He told me not to support a bloody civilian like
Atiku Abubakar and that I should work with him
to actualise his ambition. Today, he is denying
everywhere; that he never wanted a third term in
office. I am also very surprised that Chief
Obasanjo is talking about drift in governance and
development. After Chief Obasanjo assumed office
in 1999, he was only globe-trotting; it was Atiku
Abubakar who was running the country, nothing
had happened. Obasanjo did not achieve anything
as a president during his first tenure all in the
name of laundering the image of the country.
In his second tenure when he realised that Atiku
Abubaker had already put in structures all over
the country to take over from him, he started
fighting him. So in his second tenure again he did
not achieve anything. He was busy fighting Atiku,
Alamieyeseigha and the rest of other persons he
suspected were not on his side. So in concrete
terms what did he achieve as a president for the
eight years he had ruled this country? Today, he
is talking about Goodluck Jonathan training
snipers or whatever he calls it and having a
watch list. How many high profile persons have
been killed during Goodluck Jonathan’s time
compared to the long list of great men who were
killed during his time as president of the country?
Has he forgotten about Bola Ige? What happened
to Marshall Harry, Dikibo, Funsho Williams? I can
go on and on. Who are the sharp shooters that
killed all these prominent Nigerians and what has
been the outcome of their investigations? If I may
ask again, what is the rationale behind Chief
Obasanjo copying two former military rulers and T
Y Danjuma in his letter? I am sure his reference
to Dr (Alex) Ekwueme is only an afterthought.
Nigerians should underline this and study it. This
is a food for thought for the citizens.
Also know that Obasanjo only promotes himself.
In 1992 when Abiola was contesting to become
the president of the country, one of his worst
antagonists was General Obasanjo. There is
nothing he did not do to pull Abiola down
insisting that Abiola was not fit to be the
president of the country. He even offered himself
to be the interim president of the country. When
Abacha came, he used the same style to pull him
down. Abacha could not stand it, and put him in
jail. God, using General Abdulsalami Abubakar, he
was brought out from jail and the Yorubas were
compensated, particularly the Egba area, and
gave them the presidency which he was the main
beneficiary. When he emerged as president of the
country, what did he do in his second coming as
the leader of our dear country?
Are you saying that the letter in its entirety is not
worthy of Jonathan’s attention?
There is no man on this earth that knows
everything about governance. Even if you have
tested power severally, one is still bound to make
mistakes. Governance is a very complex thing.
The office of the president, if you are not careful,
only those who want to tell you what you want to
hear will have access to you. I cannot say the
content of the letter is entirely rubbish as a
Nigerian. You should know that President
Jonathan must step on some toes for him to
achieve success in the reforms he is embarking
upon. He has done certain things that only
courageous people can do. The pains for the
ultimate realisation of the Nigerian dream can
only last for a while. We must concede that at
least Jonathan has achieved some great feat. But
those things that he has not done well, he should
be encouraged and advised in the right way and
with good intention and not staying outside to
command him as if the President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria is your subject, you can just
seat anywhere to control. Leadership is like a
relay race. Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed
to run his race.
Do you think the circumstances occasioned by
Obasanjo’s letter will affect the fortunes of
Jonathan should he decides to re-contest in
2015?
Obasanjo is not Nigeria; he alone cannot tell the
citizens what to do. Remember, he lost election in
his own village that is how unpopular he is, even
up until today or tomorrow. But Nigerians still
voted for him. His disposition cannot significantly
affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan. It’s God
who gives power: if God so desires that Jonathan
should continue in office, then his aspiration will
come to fruition. Jonathan has done much more
than any other president has done. Let us support
and encourage him instead of trying to pull him
down by whipping up sentiments.
How would you advise Jonathan to respond to
the letter?
If I had to advise him, I would have told him not
to respond to Obasanjo’s letter. I am glad both of
them met in Kenya. Jonathan should search his
conscience, let him discuss with his close aides,
let him re-assess those areas that needed to be
addressed, he should highlight them and make
improvement where necessary. Chief Obasanjo is
older than he is, he was there before him; he
should concede certain wisdom to him because
he is more experienced. He should not insult him
as long as that same respect is accorded him as
the president of the country.

I guess another open letter. Huh!!!

Good analyzes and best advise

surprisingly, this looks like the best post "open letter" analysis so far and its coming from Alams of all people.

Did he remember to tell us what he did and why he had to cross-dress from UK to nigeria?

Tolexander: Did he remember to tell us what he did and why he had to cross-dress from UK to nigeria?

Help me ask o




Season of open letters!

Tolexander: Did he remember to tell us what he did and why he had to cross-dress from UK to nigeria?

No, don't be in a hurry nah. That's coming in Part 2 of the 'greatest Nollywood movie of all'... featuring OBJ, GEJ, Alams, IBB, etc. Move over Hollywood! The world is waiting & watching. God bless Nigeria.

Hmmm..true talk

Good job there Alams, what a very rich letter with perspicuous analyses! Unbiased, revealing, loaded with clear tones and warnings. Jonathan, my dear President, beware

"How many high profile
persons have
been killed during Goodluck
Jonathan’s time
compared to the long list of great men who were
killed during his time as president
of the country?"

Broda Alamesiagha (the spelling of ur name sef na wa o), shut it there! Thousands of people that boko haram have killed are they goats? For ur mind, only ur fellow polithievcians are great people abi?

Alams,how are u cooling urself,after given ur food to ur deputy,did u feel betray by ur deputy supporting obj to get to his present position.Gej should not be trusted.

Story story stor...............the fact still remains,You are a Bloody criminal,who in a sane country should be behind bars.

Please don't remind me that this thief is walking free. Please. Please. Please!

tomakint: Good job there Alams, what a very rich letter with perspicuous analyses! Unbiased, revealing, loaded with clear tones and warnings. Jonathan, my dear President, beware

[size=18pt]Nigeria is finished![/size]

Kairoseki77:

[size=18pt]Nigeria is finished![/size]

Not based on a what the criminal said or objective analysis of what he said, Nigeria is finished because they discussed their interest when power returned to them. They acted in their best interest and the interest of the masses meant nothing to them! We need all the information we can get on how we got to this point of impunity,lawlessness and massive corruption; so we came table them them in the said National Dialogue if it is not hijacked.

Alam,this makes me respect u the more.
Despite all the atrocities obj committed against u,u hardly bashed him.
Ouk and atiku didn't even received such treated when they decided to be bashing him at will.
God has vindicated u.
Weldone sir.

Tolexander: Did he remember to tell us what he did and why he had to cross-dress from UK to nigeria?

hmmm alamieseigha god cannot forgive you again liar theif

Tolexander: Did he remember to tell us what he did and why he had to cross-dress from UK to nigeria?

Words fail me if Alams self de write letter, small time Ibori self go write, my country people we get problem O.

Good talk

Alams! Alams!credible pple re talking, writing open letters You too have d guts talkin nd commenting on d controversial open letters.
I thought u re in jail just like ur broda Ibori,nt knowin u re walking freely u thief, shut d f*ck up ur mouth,nd stay calm

Funny that some nairalanders don't know the difference between a letter and an interview.
In haste to post a comment the APC fanatics refuse to read an interesting piece.
Analytical, unbiased and straight to the point is my verdict.

A lot of the things Alamieyeseigha said (especially about Obasanjo) here are true but he lost the moral basis as a lader when he looted the treasury of Bayelsa state.

He should bury his head in ignominy.

Another major achievement of GEJ

*** Presidential pardon for a rogue like Alams.

We are counting.

Fresh Air noni!!!!!

Itoroetti :
Alam,this makes me respect u the more.
Despite all the atrocities obj committed against u,u hardly bashed him.
Ouk and atiku didn't even received such treated when they decided to be bashing him at will.
God has vindicated u.
Weldone sir.

We have no one to blame but ourselves.

Nigeria is done. This show of shame is disgusting.