[b]Obasanjo offers panacea for sit-tight leaders in Africa

By Bassey Udo



May 6, 2011 12:57AM





President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday offered a panacea for the problem of sit-tight leaders in Africa, saying amnesty for their mistakes while in office will help resolve the problem.

Mr Obasanjo, who was answering reporters’ questions during the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town, South Africa, said heads of governments in Africa should be forgiven their mistakes and allowed to retire home in peace without being made to face trials. He said this would encourage them to exit power.

The former Nigerian president said the fear of being tried for the crimes they committed while in office is largely responsible for refusal of many leaders in the continent to yield power until forced to do so.

“Unless it is absolutely necessary, I believe that any African leader, whatever mistakes he made while in office, unless it is a heinous crime, when he gets out of office should be left alone to vegetate and retire to his village, or where ever he wants to retire to,” he said.

“One of the things that can discourage others from following the footsteps of those who have vacated power is the fear of what will happen to them after they leave office.”

He, however warned sit-tight leaders that time is running out on them. He said while there is life after their stint in office, the affected leaders should also not do anything that would make them harbour worries about being sent to the Hague for trial.

“When one looks at the political horizon, sit-tight leaders are becoming extinct species,” he said. “Very few of them are left. They should look and see that those who have taken their exit, are not worse for it. I am here. I know that ex-President Mbeki is also there. There is life after the State House. And if they know that and also appreciate that there is something they can do to be useful to their country, Africa and humanity, maybe they would be encouraged to vacate.”

ZONING IS GOOD

Mr. Obasanjo also urged the Federal Government to address six key areas, namely the economy, security, unemployment, corruption, infrastructure development and stability in energy generation and supply.

Reviewing the benefits of the recent elections, which produced Goodluck Jonathan as president, Mr. Obasanjo noted that leaders of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), who believed in the principle of rotation of power among the component units of the federation, were proved right. He said the outcome of the election has not only strengthened the country, it also put to an end the role of religion in the country’s politics.

“My party, the PDP, believes in what is in the country’s constitution, which indicates that there must be federal character reflected in all appointments and elective positions,” he said. “What the PDP said was that for now, where there is a president from one section of the country, who has had his term, whenever the term ends, either by himself (through resignation), by the constitution (through impeachment) or by God (through death), the next president should come from the other part of the country.

“That is what the PDP believes, and that is what has happened. So, the PDP has been proved right. The result of the last election has, in fact, strengthened the country’s unity, because for the first time in our history, somebody from the minority in the South South geo-political region was elected as president on his own merit. It has never happened before. If one takes a look at a place like Kaduna, and the issue of Moslem-Christian religious sentiments, where people believed a Christian could never be elected as the governor in the state. But, that was put to rest permanently. These are good for our democracy.”[/b]




This is the reason why I can never support PDP for anything because it is a doomed party. This is a party that doesn't discuss the accountability of its members like removing immunity from our constitution for executives while in office and now the cheiftain is telling us not to probe  leaders after they leave office. what an ideology. Still watching and laughing

Yes, that's what OBJ should focus his attention on; foreign affairs, not SW affairs.

Old bag of bones not ashamed of himself. He'll choke/die on that PDP feces.

Ileke-IdI:

Yes, that's what OBJ should focus his attention on; foreign affairs, not SW affairs.

Old bag of bones not ashamed of himself. He'll choke/die on that PDP feces.

Such hate!

Obasanjo should just zip it and enjoy his stolen loot.

Such hate!

she must be angry man to miss out the A in faeces.
go for anger management ileke.

Obasanjo actualy makes a lot of sense

does anyone have any doubt that gej is obj's puppet?

this is the exact line gej was spouting about governors.