By AKEEB ALARAPE
Twenty-four hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo advised the Federal Government to adopt “carrot and stick” approach in tackling Boko Haram, presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, has told the Nigerian leader to pocket his counsel. In fact, Abati said Obasanjo is confused. Obasanjo told Zain Verjee on CNN International interview on Tuesday that President Goodluck Jonathan should use the stick to check the menace of the Islamist sect whose campaign has killed over 2,500 people during attacks on churches and mosques.
Reacting to Obasanjo’s interview for the second time yesterday, Abati, in four tweets, said Obasanjo is apparently confused over the Boko Haram menace with his recent suggestion that the “carrot and stick” approach should be employed to address the insurgency. Obasanjo had, in the CNN interview, accused President Jonathan of only using the stick approach to address the problem rather than ‘a double track’ approach.
“To deal with such group, you need ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ approach. ‘Carrot’ is finding out what, how to reach out to them and ‘stick’ is when you are trying to reach out to them, those that are amenable to be reached out to, you have to use the stick approach”. But Obasanjo’s new posture, however, drew the ire of the Presidency, as Abati picked holes in the suggestions of the former president, saying it smacked of contradiction and confusion.
He said Obasanjo had earlier accused President Jonathan of being too soft on Boko Haram at a function in Warri, Delta State where he suggested an Odi solution (genocide) to the Boko Haram insurgence “Jonathan administration has shown creativity and purposefulness in handling the Boko Haram challenge. Hence, the progress we witness. “One report says Obasanjo is recommending a multifaceted approach to Boko Haram. This government certainly doesn’t need a lecture on that,” Abati tweeted.
Obasanjo and the Presidency had engaged in a veiled war of words since last year over perceived plan by Jonathan to contest a second term in 2015. Although, the President was yet to declare his intention, Obasanjo had never concealed his posture that the next president must come from another zone of the country and not from the South-South where Jonathan hailed from.
OBJ & GEJ! Wonders shall never ends.
More of the naked dance between thief obasanjo and jonathan. It’s good for democracy.
Please, it is not in the good interest of the country ‘ Nigeria ‘ and Nigerians for our leaders to to be trading words on a very sensitive issue like Bokoharam which is threatening the
core existence of our entity. They should trade with caution, as we are witnessing a trial period of our times, that calls for concerted efforts towards resolving the matter amicably. Challenging times needs radical thinking and cross minds to ensure the best result. They should rather convene a forum through which they can rob minds together and proffer a better option to resolve this crises. Let us make use our brain rather than our mouth in this instance, please.
The only real casualty of this media war is Mr Reuben Abati. He should have learnt his lesson from Femi Fani-Kayode and Frank Nweke Jnr who went on insulting elder statesmen to please their masters in power then. No sooner had their masters left office than they went into political oblivion & solitude.
Watch America’s Republican TV (FoxNews) and Democratic counterpart (MSNBC & CNBC) or listen to Rush Limbaugh and Ed Schultz and see where they lead media war in United States politics. Mr Obama’s Press secretary never responds to them because it is their constitutional right. Mr Obasanjo & indeed every Nigerian reserves the constitutional right to advise or criticize the government as they like. Criticism does not amount to hatred or disdain. It is a right. Obama’s Press secretary rather concerns himself with briefing the press on government positions on domestic & foreign policies as they affect the Amreican people. Mr Abati should go and read his terms of reference again.
Obj has finally sell himself with baseless stories and criticisd. I hate noise makers
Obasanjo is a proud missing man. He is indeed confused. He feels he can just open his mouth and say anything because he was lucky to have ruled this country both as a Military and civlian president. He talks a lot and does not have respect for himself any more. What do we now learn from an elder statesman?
He left the office of the presidency, yet, he want to decide who occupies sit. He decides who gets a ministrial post or party position. He goes about trying to destroy South and North simply bc others does not buy his idea.
No single individual can claim monolopy of wisdom and he should stop making dangerous utterances causing political tension here and there.
Somebody should tell him that enough is enough. People have come to know his tricks and i dont think they are working again.
OBJ may not be a noise maker on this issue. It is a case of somebody who was there. OBJ used force on ODI and ZAKI BIAM. Everyone condemn his actions. The goal was not achieved.
His recent comments have shown that he had learnt some lessons from his past misdeeds. Hence the advice to use carrot and stick approach.
Beside being the ex-president What other position is Obasonjo holding in the nation. Is Nigeria his private firm? Ex President retires and serve as elder statesmen. He should be serving as adviser if need be, but not just to be an attention seeker in the press. We do not have two presidents at a time. If Jonathan fumbles the electorate will hold him reponsible come next time around. If OBJ can just respect his age and previous positions not to comment randomly, he will just be fine.
Two of them are confused criminals who messed our country up. God will punish two of them.
Opara C
OPARA .C YOU HAVE REALLY TALK SENSE BROTHER THANKS FOR ADVISE OF REASONABLE PEOPLE LIKE YOU,I CAN’T LISTEN TO ALL THE TRASH THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING OVER HERE IT’S JUST A PITY. SOME OF THEM THEIR FATHER CANNOT EVEN HANDLE THEIR OWN HOME TALK LESS OF A NATION
Obj & GEJ make una take am je je o, we only need fresh air from you and not verbal war.
Nigerians at home and diasporal, is time we should pray earnestly to ALMIGHTY GOD for his mercy and intervention. Because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.
It is better they fight so that ordinary Nigerians will know that nothing good can’t come out from PDP administration except corruption.
OBJ is very correct about “stick and carrot” issues.
U S in doing it in Afghanistan with the Taliban.
Israel is doing it with the Palestinians in Middle East.
Obj did it with the militants.
He also did the same with a group called maitasine (right spelling?) in the north in the late seventies.
It’s so simple; just like any parent and children; if they lay down low and don’t be a trouble maker you get a “carrot”, but if you do bad things you get canned “sticks”.
So the man know what he’s talking about, GEJ has no clue.
If OBJ doesn’t want him there beyond 2015, he ain’t gonna be there, the man is a very powerful man all over the world not only in Nigeria, It takes more than SS votes to be a president in Nigeria.
OBJ has become an “elder noise man” not state man.
I suggest Government of all categories should map out days to pray and fast for the nation in which they are ruling. This is needed to be done urgent so as to seek the face of ALMIGHTY GOD for wisdom and unity. This may sound folly but as GOD liveth and as his spirit also liveth, surely HE will change things around for our good.
OBJ, while being double standard on Boko Haram issue, you once advised PRESIDENT JONATHAN to challenge B/H by forceful means and everybody condemned such approach while citing such treatment as a genocide in disguise. Oh, Jonathan I really pitty you, OBJ is ready to sale you out. This OBJ is a Judas in your mist, better be very much careful, pure sabotage, an inherent culture that can not be wiped out. You can not kill all the northerners because of few miscreants in their enclave, the late President Yaradua used powerful dialogue to settle Niger Delta Militants and such measure remains the best else you damage your political carrier in the up north.
While not apply carrot and stick to handle the case of your estranged son Gbenga in your,s family as a taste case, clearly suffering from the disease associated with old age by colluding issues.
No comments!
Dr Reuben abati- How many time did you accused Obama, David cameroon and Some foriegn comments for their wrong observation and the rating of Nigeria security and corruption level to the world which was a Big blow on the faces of Nigerians as if we are the only cursed people on earth?. The ways and manner you responded to former president ObasanjO confirmed that you acknowledged the often blows we recieved from Obama and other foriegn leader which their security and economy problems is worste than Nigeria, Mr abati did you responds to what U.S recently about security issues in Edo and some south-eastern states as boko haram states which Governor Adams boldly condemed?. Chief/Revd ObasanjO was a political philosopher, Dr of millennium Democracy and General of freedom fighter so His advise is medication and powerful remedy to any Global crisis, for these you are expected to render PUBLIC APOLOGY to former president ObasanjO before it will be too late. What Kofi Annan was was unable to do in the 22 months crisis in Syria, Chief ObasanjO is able and capable to solve it in 7-days.
Obasanjo is just seeking media attention. I dare to ask: how many times have we heard former presidents of America criticize the incumbent infront of the cameras? They don’t do it. Am sure they do disagree on some issues with the incumbent but they put such disagreements/suggestions to the incumbent through private telephone chats, emails and face-to-face interaction on appointment. This is maturity. Our leaders should borrow some lessons.
If the Presidency does not want OBJ’s advice, let them Ignore the advice, it is not in GEJ’s favour for this verbal exchange of words with OBJ in the public. It will definitely be misinterpreted in some powerful quarters. In this case silence is golden.
Obj should go and sleep if has nothing to say, which”carrot” approach did he use in Oddi during his administration? Does somebody use “carrot” and “stick” approach when his house is on fire? I think it is good that FG uses the “stick” to quench the fire set by the boko haram before. Obj will be made the “carrot” commitee chairman.
God bless nigeria & lead our leader
I suggest JONATHAN should send OBJ to jail
@nwabufo why can’t u send him (OBJ) by ure self, I don’t knw where u get dis ure title of knight (KSJI) evil men in church
jonathan is always under the influence of alcohol. He drinks KAIKAI with HOTDRINKS. Ogoni man, you no get respect for your second god. This niger for me is like oversize shoe to jonathan.
@sir nwabofo okoye ksj, dis is the more reason y the late general Abacha send Obj to jail. Obj talks carelessly. He lack maturity.
OBJ was in office for 8 years, what did he achieved?
Is only in Nigeria that the person who failed exam woefully will turn around to lecture somebody on that same subject.
God help us
Advice is not a curse, it is left for one to take it or reject it. So for the mouth piece of the government to use it as a weapon to insult the man who made them what they are in the first place is just recklessness and playing to the gallery. Who in Nigeria ever dream that an Ogoni pio pio will be the president of this Nigeria. A tribe that is not up to 7 million people but OBJ made it possible for an unknown vet doctor to rule Nigeria. The are suppose to be ever grateful to OBJ.
OBJ himself have the same respect to IBB because he knew that without IBB he will not be a civilian president.
However, if Jona decided to grow balls overnight, well, let wait and see how it plays out. I think his brother Asari has advised him but as expected his mouth piece took over. We are watch. But one thing is certain, if you advised an ear and he refused to listen, when the head is cut off the ear will join the head.
Advice is not a curse, it is left for one to take it or reject it. So for the mouth piece of the government to use it as a weapon to insult the man who made them what they are in the first place is just recklessness and playing to the gallery. Who in Nigeria ever dream that an Ogoni pio pio will be the president of this Nigeria. A tribe that is not up to 7 million people but OBJ made it possible for an unknown vet doctor to rule Nigeria. The are suppose to be ever grateful to OBJ.
OBJ himself have the same respect to IBB because he knew that without IBB he will not be a civilian president.
However, if Jona decided to grow balls overnight, well, let wait and see how it plays out. I think his brother Asari has advised him but as expected his mouth piece took over. We are watching. But one thing is certain, if you advised an ear and he refused to listen, when the head is cut off the ear will join the head. Though I am not in support of OBJ s idea of carrot and stick because those fundamentalist understand one language only, VIOLENT so they have to be tackled violently but that is not a reason to call Baba a confused man.
I still dont understand what OBJ has said wrong with the less than 1 mins CNN interview on BHaram that warranted all this noise from commentator and govt: He said Fed govt is doing very very well in the use of stick and also advice the carrot approach together with the stick to finally bury/overcome Bharam. Some commentators did not watch the interview. They only responded in the manner the print media reported it.
OBJ should go and sit down,i am very sure if he was the one in power and somebody else goes to CNN to say such about his government,he will use EFCC to haunt that person as a punishment.
OBJ has suddenly become a saint,a human right advocate and a peace mender just because he is no longer in power. I don’t blame him but i blame Nigerians who on their part has a short memory and easily forgets and let go of the sufferings their past leaders put them through,that is why all the past evil dictators and corrupt leaders still talk with boldness after leaving office.
God is answering the prayers of Nigerians. Jonathan’s disagreements with Obasanjo is a good omen for Nigeria. Nigerians should continue to pray that all the incumbuses pressing down Nigeria should give way.
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WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE MIND OF A MAN WHO BECAME A LOVER TO HIS SON’S WIFE. SUCH MIND IS ALWAYS CONFUSED.
OBJ should please learn one or two lessons from responsible world leaders and former-Head of governments. How many times has Bill Clinton gone to the CNN to teach Obama how to govern? Even if the current appears to be weak, Obasanjo has many avenue to make his views known. He should please sit down in his Ota farm and enjoy the fruit of his own loots that attracting public attention all the time – What again does he want? Nigeria has made several president out of him, does he also want to made several prisoners?
President Jonathan should pls work and not to blindfold people with OBJ’s talk. OBJ can say anthing,He his entittled to his opinion as a nigeria. we have millions of issues or problems unsolved,such as Fuel scarcity, Bad roads, unemployement, security and all that, that are yet to be adressed by the government and they still have time to listen to OBJ. I also want to advice’ that ABATI should be send out of this govt. he his a bad egg. Jonathan can never achieve with people like ABATI around him.
GEJ should fight Obj hy exposing all his corrupt acts while in office. That is the power of incumbency. If it were Obj that is in power now he would have crushed GEJ.
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‘carrot and stick’ of obj is called ‘heating and cooling’ system in chemistry.heat a very strong molecule or complex compound to 500°c in a very hot gas and instantly immerse it in azote liquid of -200°c can break hard substance.
It’s a proven nigerian style that works for as long as we are united in acrimony.It worked wonderfully well in biafra.it effectively dealt a serious blow in odi insurgence.
So it’ll work in northeast i’m sure.a rapid dispatch of young officers to the whole of north must start now.yes jonar is too soft with the northern nonsense of bloodshed.
Obj is not the first to use carrot and stick aproach,It’s the northerners favorite aproach to national problem.it should be used in their core not without pity.
All those villagers hiding the boko boys should be shot at sporadically and dislodged entirelly from those village just as it happened in biafra and odi.those villager that said that boko haram are made of faceless youths will soon come up with pictures full of faces of boko haram members.
Carrot and stick is Nigerian quick solution and must be used sans pitié to it’s fullest arrays,since negociations have failed to stop killing of southern christian over there.
So a truckload of carrot should be sent upnorth,and while they’re having good time with those carrots the sticks(i mean the canes)will follow suit so that the flogging will start in ernest.useless rabbits.
We’ll continue using carrot and stick till we breakup in three piece cos we dont have other solution for this woeful failure called naija.
A graduate of civil Engineering came to my office asking for job,i told him the pay is not much…he said at least he will be going out everyday in the morning and come back in the evening…..he has 2nd class upper in civil eng…but no job……..God have Mercy on our political clASS
I was the first to say OBJ spoke nothing yesterday following the very reasons I gave. The GEJ administration means very well to this country but somebody like OBJ means evil. GEJ has recorded a very big success to Boko Haram Issue. This somebody that people said to him that they will make the country ungovernable to him, yet he did not kill them. GEJ is the only Nigeria President that has been facing threat to security.
All these evils were committed during OBJ and the Hause tenure in the office as President. I always say that Yorubas and Igbos should try to come together and push this evil basdard away from Nigeria contest. I am not after who comes as the President who can deliver.
let them fight and kill themselves if their logger head will benefit Nigerians at large. OBJ brought Jonathan and planned everything in the interest of Jonathan. Abati also confused because he said OBJ and Jonathan are in good relation and their conflict is mere speculation by media. Now he said OBJ doesn’t want Jonathan to contest for second term which is considered as root cause of their rift. Constitutionally, Jonathan cannot contest for Third term. What goes round comes round. I am Yoruba man but its time for Hausa to rule again.
Yusuf, from your comment I can see that you are a gentleman with bitter heart.I also boubt your claim of Yorubaman. You mean well to Nigeria and to your self. Think again, from your heart, should power goes back to the north?
I will appreciate your unbias reasons to my conviction.
Yussuff, or what ever you call yourself, let me tell you the plain truth. The Hausa/fulani north can only rule Yoruba land as they have been ruling in Kwara state for centuries.
It is only the Yorubas that can be so slavish to the caliphate because of fear, ask your forefather Afonja
Disintegration and no more the reintegration of tribes remains the ultimate. This is because if at all the northerners should claim power by 2015, their own government would also remain ungovernable. They proclaimed purely and still make it real and ungovernable to GEJ. Thesame approach wouldl be applied to them, because the Niger-Delta Militants are still alert even untill morrow to disorganise the northern administration in this country. Bokoharam maintains to be faceless, but the Niger-Delta militants acts physical and can cause revolution of powers with logical senses without just killing themselves for nothing like that of Aboki’s . Northern elites should try it and see how excerbated their administration would look like. Souls claimed by Bokoharam insulgencies were all there inside the grave, crying critically in absolute fury against the northern region. GOD SAVE NAIJA FROM BLOOD SHAKING BECAUSE IT HAS GONE TO THE CLIMAX
jonathan is a matured leader
Obasanjo use carrot and stick approach in odi because he sent the governor tht said he cannot dare the people before he used military might.Yaradua use stick approach on militant before they surrender for amnesty.Remember military use both jetty fighter and helicoper to rasnsack their base and over power them is what lead to their surrender.
Some ppl ar paid 2 coment on behalf of GEJ…..CORRUPTION!!!
those fools in nigeria who said Obj didn’t achieve anything are the olodo in our mids …. what Nigeria is today … or what NIgeria is so far is through the effort of OBJ .. there is no government without corruption … what we have asked from our current presido GEJ is to achieve alot because aparrently he has achieved nothing .. even his brothers are complaining the same .. it will be a thing of dishonor for him to get down there without achieving even power supply ..Mind you obj brought communication in nigeria
our president has done nothing … he has achieved nothing … he should not think of re election in 2015 if he has the interest of his country at heart
Jonathan surely wuld b the most celebrated leader in dis contry. OBJ has joined forces wit d nothern leaders to push GEJ out of ofice. It’s a leson 4 us, come 2015 let’s arise and make a change by flushing out this cabal out of dis country. It’s a sure-way out of our problems.
One thing Nigerians need to know is that, “when one gets older, his seem to behave younger, even as a little child”, ask OBJ again tomorrow,& next on the same subject and his opinion will continue to differ. (Don’t’ blame the man)
Obasanjo is not confuse,the presidency that does not have solution to the boko haram issue are the confused ones.We are tired of hearing use terms like ‘we condem this act’.We need to see the end to this boko haram issue immediately.
Uche and lawrence, you did not sugest anything to help correct the problem
Obasanjo is right in his word truly Jonathan has failed this country indeed how can you say obasanjo is confused. The man is not confused but is trying to tel Jonathan the truth.
Celebrated leader? how do you mean, are you saying there is a shortcut on the palm tree, wake up my brother, what brought them (GEJ and OBJ) together will now scarter them and that is just natural, remember OBJ and ATIKU.
ALL OF THME ARE CONFUSE INCLUDING OBJ, PRESIDENT AND ALL OUR LEADERS FROM A TO Z, FROM 1960 TO PRESENT.
ALL OF THME ARE CONFUSE INCLUDING OBJ, PRESIDENT AND ALL OUR LEADERS FROM A TO Z, FROM 1960 TO PRESENT.
Yoruba’s are useless people they are always supporting obj bacause he is one of them. Evrything he does is right. Y is he directing Gej ?who directed him during his days as a president ? He is an evil genius Gej should not take his advice
Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Most Gracious the Most powerful. Let them fight each other. One nigeria.
Goodluck should not be distracted in his transformation ageda , Obasojo only want to distract the president .
Both the power sector and the Aviation has been improved , pls Mr president , let it extend to other sectors like security situation in the country .God bless Nigeria
It is quiet unfortunate when i here people saying that the power sector has improved because i only saw light in my area once during xmas period.
What GEJ should have done was to have behaved like Barkin Zuwo, taken OBJ’s statement literally and simply passionately requested OBj to cultivate the carrots at Ota Farm and supply the Presidency. That is exactly how OBJ would have wittily told the press in reaction at the airport. That would have shown not only the elderstatesman, but Nigerians and the international community that GEJ is no longer a PS101 classroom teacher.. Incidentally, GEJ for all these years as President of the most powerful nation south of Sahara, does not understand what diplomatic statements are, nor how to make them. Reuters literally wrote him off picking on his “ordinary” statement in a church service likening Nigeria to Syria. That is amateuristic and naive. And for the Presidency to be so furious means that OBJ who said nothing said everything. That’s political point on score sheet. Now every person interprets it as he/she feels. That is what politics is all about. So far GEJ has shown himself to lack the wisdom to govern this big nation. It is bigger than his mind and spokesmen. One should be able to discern traps as a politician or spokesman of a poltician. Look at the timing of the interview – when GEJ was using all his political muscle to battle for BoT of PDP. OBJ took GEJ to international level and decimated him. GEJ has lots of minus. To take out your opponents in politics, take advantage of their weak points. GEJ would have lots of fence to mend by this reaction; because that reaction further politically decimated him in the North; and he is not sure of SW. SS alone cannot enthrone him in 2015. GEJ should go back to school of international diplomacy and governance in a complex world so that when he leaves office in 2015 he could make weighty statmements on national, continental and global matters.Not all political scientists and political analysts could be good politicians. GEJ and Abati’s tag team is not a healthy political combination. What an opportunity powerful politicians wait for. Only that our cowardly politicians cannot take advantage of visible political crack because they have already sold their souls. So, Ndigbo will remain analysts and commentators on national issues because no one politician is ready to take a dive even when major players are in disarray.
I blame OBJ’s immediate and distance family who cannot tell him to stop all these self righteous attitude and holier than thou approach. His advicers should advice him when to talk and not when not. He is not the only one that has ruled the country in the past moreso his performance did not surpass others. He should learn when to speak and when not to.
Please someone should advice him to follow the steps of people like General Gowon and others and stop been an embrassment to himself.
OBJ is a liar by saying that Mosques is also destroy in Boko attacks na big liar he be. Mr man go and sleep ur era has gone. People saying that Obj made Jona what he is i doubt because he is not God and wil never be. Pls saves us space and eat ur ill gotten money
Obasanjo talking of how to contain the boko haram With carrot and stick approach. We should ask him what he means by that, is he suggesting the kind of genocides he committed in odi, the gruesome massacre of innocent citizens of this country. Obasanjo is a blood sucker, and if the GEJ administration has agreed that obasanjo is giulty of genocides. He should be arrested immediately, tried, convicted, and brought to book.
it is obasanjo we need for naija,he is the best person for now
OBJ should be ashamed of himself by making unnecessary statement in this after the condition he left this country on,don’t know whether is ”illitracy” that is his problem or decay syndrom”. If i were him i wouldn’t be in this country,i would be ashamed to say anything concerning the leadership of this nation.belv me
OBJ should retire and give his advice when asked. How many times has he had George Bush talk in public after retiring? Thought he was an eminent person!
Person wey fuck him son wife for anus instead of toto,na dey kind confusion wey dey follow him life.Out of all Naija Presidos wey dey alive na only Obasanjo dey make noise for public say na advice,I pity dey man bcs him picking Gbenga swear give am.
PDP is d worst party in d world they all corrupt, i dnt tink any tin gud w come out frm them