President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday issued a rare public rebuke of his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing him of attempting to return to power through the backdoor by foisting an Interim National Government on Nigeria, in the hope he will be made head of the administration.
Mr. Jonathan’s remarks followed comments by the former president on Saturday that President Jonathan was plotting to destabilise Nigeria as it becomes apparent he will lose upcoming elections.
Speaking to journalists at his home in Abeokuta, Mr. Obasanjo said the president’s plan may be to stir chaos in the country as ex-leader of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, did.
Mr. Obasanjo, who spoke just days after endorsing ex-military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, as his preferred presidential candidate ahead of Mr. Jonathan, said the incumbent may be driven by a grave fear of having Mr. Buhari as his successor.

Mr. Jonathan rejected the claim that he was planning to create chaos or to hang on to power if voted out.

A spokesperson for the president, Reuben Abati, said Mr. Obasanjo is instead guilty of his own accusation, as his repeated attacks on Mr. Jonathan are aimed at creating an atmosphere for an Interim Government, in the hope that Mr. Obasanjo would be asked to head to body.
“Chief Obasanjo’s plot with others within and outside the country to thwart the general elections and foist an unconstitutional Interim National Government, which he hopes to head, on the nation is well known to us, but by the Grace of God Almighty, his odious plan to return to power through the back door will fail woefully,” Mr. Abati said in a statement.
Read the full statement from President Jonathan’s office below:
We find the false claims and allegations reportedly made against President Goodluck Jonathan by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta very odious and repugnant.
As we have had cause to say before, it is most regrettable indeed that a man like Chief Obasanjo, who should know better, chooses to repeatedly, wantonly, and maliciously impugn the integrity of a sitting President of his country for the primary purpose of self-promotion.

It is obvious from Chief Obasanjo’s serial vituperations against President Jonathan who is doing his best to positively transform Nigeria for the benefit of all of its people that he has wilfully chosen to close his eyes to the present administration’s good works and intentions. For reasons best known to him, Chief Obasanjo has set his mind on regime change by fair or foul means.
Otherwise, it would be completely senseless, irrational and out of place for Chief Obasanjo, who still claims to belong to the same party as the President, to accuse President Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by “hook or crook” and planning to plunge the nation into crisis if he loses the election.
For the record, President Jonathan has no such intention and will continue to give the greatest possible support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the rescheduled elections are successfully conducted.
Indeed, it is not President Jonathan who remains faithful to his oath of office who is trying to plunge Nigeria into crisis, but Chief Obasanjo who is scheming to plunge the country into chaos in pursuit of a selfish and highly egocentric agenda.
Chief Obasanjo’s plot with others within and outside the country to thwart the general elections and foist an unconstitutional Interim National Government, which he hopes to head, on the nation is well known to us, but by the Grace of God Almighty, his odious plan to return to power through the back door will fail woefully.

We know very well that it is in pursuit of this nefarious plot that the former President continues to sow the seeds of discord and crises in the polity by purporting to remain in the ruling party while openly consorting with the opposition, endorsing its candidates and predicting victory for opposition candidates in a manner most unbecoming of a supposed elder statesman.

Thankfully, the vast majority of Nigerians who are patriotic and right-thinking cannot be fooled by Chief Obasanjo’s antics.
We urge them to be assured that President Jonathan’s commitment to democracy in all its ramifications remains constant and that he will never be party to the use of any unlawful means to remain in office or gain political advantage over his opponents.
The President stands by his commitment, which he reaffirmed on national television last Wednesday that on his watch, all elections in Nigeria, will be free, fair and credible, and that all certified election results will be respected.


As President Jonathan has also assured the nation, the rescheduling of the general elections was in the best interest of the nation and was never driven by any ulterior motive on the part of government as Chief Obasanjo and others have alleged.
President Jonathan will continue to put his best efforts into giving Nigeria quality leadership and will not be distracted from his purpose by unwarranted and needless criticism by persons who ought to know better.


The President also continues to trust in the good judgment of Nigerians and to believe that in appreciation of his sincere efforts to move the country forward over the past four years, they will re-elect him for a second term on March 28, 2015 with a mandate to pursue his agenda for national transformation to a successful conclusion.


Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 14, 2015

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/176871-jonathan-slams-obasanjo-says-ex-president-canvassing-head-interim-govt.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

[size=22pt]Abeg, at this period I wouldn't mind an Animal Heading the government! Jonathan is simply a useless man!
His IQ is definitely less than 10!
[/size]

www.nairaland.com/attachments/2124659_2850256733laughingxlarge_png44484a3986aa05a1996d007a60c0a85c

Na to laugh them(Obj and Gej) sure pass

Yes! My President is right! OBJ neva talk wetin be hin plan

Gej Must Go
Nigerians will vote n kick him out

I don tell. Una make una leav jona and him. Papa obj alone..dem sabi wetin dem dey do

Why are they taking OBJ serious,he is not relevant in this present political dispensation.

MARCH4GEJ

It seems jonathan is not even ready for election!

#ElectionMustHold!!!

Or we will organize it!

No wonder the ex president has been having diarrhoea of the mouth recently. Agbaya!

I just can't wait to read ore hear buhari political retirement speech it will be so emotional. :oI just can't wait to read ore hear buhari political retirement speech it will be so emotional.

U know what

See Abati's Lame excuse.

Don't they think before they talk at all or before they give their ridiculous press statements that kept exposing how unfortunate Nigeria has been in the hands of very FOO-LISH policy makers.

How on earth will Obasanjo head an interim Government if their is need to set up one ?

Did Obasanjo postpone the election ?


This usless guy can lie. Damn it.

cyntiathis:
FORWARDMARCH>>> for Gej

that backwards not forward

whatever....

sai BuHARI..

hater/love children go to hell...

ngeneukwenu MUWAHHHHHHHH.. you be darling.

I pity Jonathan.Head or tail he loses: he either honorably loses to buhari and have pity of Nigerians when the hammer starts to come down or he tries the "Gbagbo formular" and eventually gets booted out and if the presidency is to be believed, to an interim govt to be headed by obasanjo, who is waiting to take not just a pound of flesh, but Jonathans arms and legs too,for being called a "tout" by GEJ.
The kind of nightmares GEJ would be having these days is better imagined.
Take heart,uncle Joe, yours is a lesson for future leaders; always be on the side of the people and don't allow yourself to be colonized and controlled by self seeking ethnic warlords, sycophants and militants.

Can this old Ota farmer just keep quiet and lay low the way his fellow looters like IBB and Shagari are doing?
This incestous creature plunged us into the darkness we are now, by imposing a sick man on us and he still opens his dirty mouth to talk trash.....Anuofia
GEJ TILL 2019 JOOOOORR!!!

So why did Jonathan orchestrate the postponement of the election?

Abati, I really pity you...

#change
#GMB
#APC

When two elephants fight

mumumugu:
When two elephants fight

Jonathan is not an elephant!

lalasticlala, Seun, Obinoscopy! How far??

obasanjo is a sick man.
Do people still take him serious?

Its not about who is good or bad,its about effecting change,its about making your statement counts,its about taking yourself serious enough for people to start taking you serious,its about new governance,its about CHANGE!!!


I see change
I smell change


#IhaveDecided

Dere is no smoke wifout a fire. Children of 2000 shouting and chanting change, I doubt if deh ve pvc

were was obj when yaradua was missing and the northern cabal took over Nigeria without leadership for more than 6 months then, was obj deaf and dumb then?

Gej is just too quiet and lenient to a fault, his refusal to adopt the crude obj's method which got all politicians both in the pdp and the then opposition parties, majority of which got amalgamated to form apc shitting in their panties is the reason why everyone is now forming hulk hogan.

Gej choose the civil and noble path which is the reason why the likes of obj can afford to rant at will yet the president maintains his cool despite the fact he has all the federal might at his disposal to crush obj and co which was exactly the same strategy used by now saint obj to crush any form of opposition to his government both within his party and outside his party and today the same obj who was a democratic dictator now sees himself as a democrat.

if Saddan Hussein was a former Nigerian despot and still alive after all his documented atrocities, some Nigerians with short memories will still look up to him as the solution for all the problems in nigeria of which most of those problems were created by him which they have suddenly forgotten all too soon.

May God cure some Nigerians from their collective chronic Amnesia.


The video link below is one of the numerous reasons why some Nigerians are giving up on Nigeria and part of it is because of the rationality of most Nigerians.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS7lCjuxgh8

doctokwus:
I pity Jonathan.Head or tail he loses: he either honorably loses to buhari and have pity of Nigerians when the hammer starts to come down or he tries the "Gbagbo formular" and eventually gets booted out and if the presidency is to be believed, to an interim govt to be headed by obasanjo, who is waiting to take not just a pound of flesh, but Jonathans arms and legs too,for being called a "tout" by GEJ.
The kind of nightmares GEJ would be having these days is better imagined.
Take heart,uncle Joe, yours is a lesson for future leaders; always be on the side of the people and don't allow yourself to be colonized and controlled by self seeking ethnic warlords, sycophants and militants.

Learn to deal with the certainty that Jonathan will be sworn in for the second term come May 29.

I really wonder why you allow yourself to be deluded by the wailings of a failed statesman who is plodding inexorably for relevance.

Obasanjo should be ashamed of himself, if he still has any sense of shame. He should continue his amebo chit-chats while progressively rubbishing the little remaining of his prestige...

Baba ofo

NgeneUkwenu:
[size=22pt]Abeg, at this period I wouldn't mind an Animal Heading the government! Jonathan is simply a useless man!
His IQ is definitely less than 10!
[/size]

Are you saying he has single digit IQ?
Though as much

Always on the offensive...Never seen a democratic government so against criticism whether constructive or destructive...

maestroferddi:
Learn to deal with the certainty that Jonathan will be sworn in for the second term come May 29.

I really wonder why you allow yourself to be deluded by the wailings of a failed statesman who is plodding inexorably for relevance.

Obasanjo should be ashamed of himself, if he still has any sense of shame. He should continue his amebo chit-chats while progressively rubbishing the little remaining of his prestige...

My friend the only certainty is that GEJ won't stay in office beyond May 29.
The stark reality and let me spell it out to you is this: Nigeria would only remain a single entity if Jonathan leaves by May 29.Any move in whatever guise for him to perpetuate himself in power would see this country embroiled in a civil war;its that bad and any person can deny this reality and curse me from now till eternity but Nigerians have to get used to hearing how serious and dangerous a Jonathan presidency beyond may 29 will is.
The forces starked against him are legion and many are deprived,neglected and utterly dejected youths from a large section of the country who even in the calmest of times are historically noted to find no qualms in laying down their lives for a cause they beliv.When you now fathom the fact that this time around,even moderately minded people see no life and future with Jonathan in the saddle,you have a combustible mixture whose fire can only be prevented with GEJ gallantly losing or being forced.
Any other outcome with him in the saddle and Nigeria is doomed as a single entity!