Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that not even \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cJesus Christ\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d can conduct an acceptable election in Nigeria and that the nation would continue to have <\/p>\n
disputed election results except politicians are reformed.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed in a statement that Barrister Philip Umeadi, the most senior electoral commissioner at the commission, has taken over as acting chairman.<\/p>\n
Obasanjo who spoke on Thursday night at the Leon H. Sullivan Dialogue on Nigeria held at the National Press Center, Washington DC, USA, was reacting to the removal of Professor Maurice Iwu as chairman of INEC.<\/p>\n
The former president who appointed the outgoing INEC boss said, \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cwith all due respect, if Jesus Christ could come to the world and be the chairman of INEC, any election he would conduct will be disputed.\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d
Obasanjo said what was required was the urgent need to reform Nigerian politicians for the nation to have acceptable elections in 2011.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cSince I got here three days ago, I understand that the chairman of INEC has been asked to go on leave. People have also talked about electoral reform.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cQuite honestly, I have said that I don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t understand in detail what this electoral reform is. One thing that we need to reform in our own society is the politician. We need to reform politicians,\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d Obasanjo stressed.<\/p>\n
He said he first participated in elections in Nigeria in 1959 and since then, there has been no election conducted that has not been disputed.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cIt will be difficult to have a perfect election. What is important is that the result of an election should reflect the will of the people,\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d he said. The former president also said he was optimistic about the role of the Nigerian youth in the future of the nation.
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cOne thing that is very bright and makes me happy in Nigeria is that the generation that is coming behind is very bright. <\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cThe other day, I was saying that the generation before my generation gave us independence. Whatever may be their inadequacies, at least they gave us independence.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cSomebody asked me what can be credited to our generation and I said our generation fought for the unity of Nigeria and our generation laid the foundation of democracy in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cThere is this up and coming generation, I will not be mentioning names, but they are good and I have seen them,\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d he said.<\/p>\n
At the event held as part of activities marking Nigeria\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s 50th independence anniversary, Obasanjo, who took a dispassionate review of Nigeria since independence, observed that there have been positive changes in the nation\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s political landscape \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cbecause what was politically impossible about 30 years ago has now been achieved.\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d<\/p>\n
Buttressing this point, the former president said: \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cWith our president not being so well, we have an acting president from the minority area. That would not have happened 30 years ago.\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d <\/p>\n
In her own remarks at the event, the managing director of the World Bank, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said reform could only come if he (Obasanjo) and other Nigerian leaders have the political will to reform politicians.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cIf they fail to be reformed, then they should be put aside and fresh blood should take charge. It is wrong to think that Nigeria cannot change,\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d she said.<\/p>\n
On the issue of corruption, she said political will was required and that the Obasanjo regime did much in this respect.<\/p>\n
She cited the example of revenue allocation from the federation account which was published monthly on the approval of Obasanjo. Okonjo-Iweala said Obasanjo gave the backing for \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cmy colleague (Nuhu Ribadu) and one of our heroes to do the work that he was able to do.\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d
She added that when the Obasanjo regime came on board, the economy was growing by about 2.5 to 3 per cent but rose to 6 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cThis is an indication that Nigeria can do things right. What is missing in the nation\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s bid to get things right are policy consistency, leadership, better governance, the anti-corruption crusade, and an eye on the ball,\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d said the World Bank MD.<\/p>\n
Warning the nation about an impending demographic disaster, she said: \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201c70 per cent of our population is 30 years and younger. We just got some figures on unemployment. Under-employment has not even been measured.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cIf we can turn these people into productive citizens, we will reap what is called demographic dividends for the country, just as the East-Asian countries did.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cIf we do not, we will have a demographic disaster. So we don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t really have a choice.\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d<\/p>\n
Other speakers at the event included US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnie Carson; former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Princeton Lyman; Ambassador Andrew Young; and former EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Umeadi, the most senior officer in INEC, took over as acting chairman of the commission on Thursday following the removal of Iwu.<\/p>\n
A statement yesterday, signed by Umenger Emmanuel, INEC\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s director of Public Affairs, said “this development should naturally put an end to insinuations from some segment of the media that there is a vacuum in the leadership of INEC.”<\/p>\n
However, the statement did not state if Iwu had handed over to the acting chairman as directed by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.<\/p>\n
Umeadi’s assumption of office followed last Wednesday\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s directive by the acting president to Iwu, to proceed on disengagement leave with effect from April 28, 2010.<\/p>\n
Before his current position, Umeadi was the national commissioner in charge of the information and publicity committee of INEC.<\/p>\n
Following the announcement of his removal Wednesday, Iwu failed to hand over because he did not get a formal letter to that effect from the presidency.<\/p>\n
The oversight compelled the former INEC chairman to go straight to the State House for clarification on Thursday where he met with Mike Oghiadome, the Principal Secretary to the acting president.<\/p>\n
It was gathered that Oghiadome at the State House eventually gave him his disengagement letter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that not even \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cJesus Christ\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d can conduct an acceptable election in Nigeria and that the nation would continue to have disputed election results except politicians are reformed. Also yesterday, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed in a statement that Barrister Philip Umeadi, the most senior electoral commissioner at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-264746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n