President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s attacks on him as the consequence of his failure to surrender his administration to the former leader. Responding to the tirades of the former president last week, President Jonathan said Obasanjo was so bent on controlling his protégées that he would not mind installing the devil in power so long as he can control him.
Meanwhile, it was learned at the weekend that the Presidency and the Peoples Democracy Party, PDP, have decided to pull back from earlier plans to sanction Obasanjo over his perceived anti-party activities. Besides, there were indications that Obasanjo’s support among some northern governors, who deferred to him in the past, may be waning. One serving northern governor in the PDP known as an Obasanjo associate, weekend, flayed the former president for crossing the line in his attacks on the president and party.
Addressing journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Director, Media and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode stressed that soon after Jonathan won the 2011 elections, the former president tried everything possible to control and teleguide him, adding that he asked the President to do a number of things that were simply wrong and unacceptable to a government with plans for the people. He said:
“After Jonathan came to power, Obasanjo not only tried to control and teleguide him, but he also asked him to do a number of things that were simply wrong and unacceptable. It is for President Goodluck Jonathan himself to divulge those things and I am sure that he will do so at the appropriate time.
“Needless to say President Jonathan refused to be teleguided and told what to do though at all times he showed Obasanjo maximum respect and accorded him all the privileges, access and courtesies that are due to a former Head of State and a father and mentor. This continued to be the case even after Obasanjo consistently attempted to undermine his government and ridicule his efforts.
“Yet President Obasanjo could not be appeased and was not satisfied. As far as he was concerned, he must either control Jonathan or Jonathan had to go. That is why he decided to secretly support the APC and became their ‘navigator in chief’. He was determined to pull the whole house down rather than allow Jonathan to return to power. This is simply because he believes that if he cannot control someone, that person must be destroyed. Control and domination is an obsession for Obasanjo. That is the bottom line. He is prepared to put even the devil in power provided he can control him,”
Fani-Kayode, who also served President Obasanjo as a senior special assistant (public communication) said.