Obasanjo defends book presentation, explains letters to Jonathan

Obasanjo said, Jonathan’s inability to act on national matters in his personal letters to him were frustrating and there was no other channel to bare his mind than the public communication.The former president who was responding to questions at the public presentation of his autobiography, “My Watch”, at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja yesterday, said […]

Obasanjo said, Jonathan’s inability to act on national matters in his personal letters to him were frustrating and there was no other channel to bare his mind than the public communication.
The former president who was responding to questions at the public presentation of his autobiography, “My Watch”, at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja yesterday, said despite the exigencies of office, he often found time to respond to his predecessors’ observations and remarks on the state of the nation while in office as president.
“But, this has not been so. And since there is no other way to put across my position, I think public communication is appropriate to do so. During my tenure, my predecessors always wrote to me too. And as much as possible I did respond either in action or replied to their letters,” Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo argued that he had not flouted any law or court order with the public presentation of the book.
He said he was prompted to write the book not to castigate anyone but to point out the wrongs in the polity so that Nigerians may find solutions to them. He noted that the book had been in circulation before the public presentation yesterday.
Speaking on the challenges confronting the country presently, Obasanjo reiterated his belief in the unity of Nigeria, saying the country would surmount its numerous problems with time.
He gave insight into what led to his incarceration by the General Abacha-led military government, noting that he was innocent of any wrong-doing, but was sent to jail for over three years.
Various speakers at the presentation, including Dr. (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili, described Obasanjo as a nationalist whose contributions to the nation cannot be quantified.
Ezekwesili condemned President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration particularly on the level of insecurity in the country.
Chairman of the occasion, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, commended Obasanjo for the work he had been doing to uplift Nigeria, Africa and the world in general.
The autobiography x-rays the early life of the former president, his years in the military and life after office as civilian president for eight years.
The chairman, South west mobilisation committee of the PDP and candidate for Ogun East senatorial district in the 2015 election, Buruji Kashamu, had sued the former president to stop the launch.