By Dele Sobowale

“I’ll hand over if I lose”, President Jonathan, during the Media Chat, February 11, 2015, at Aso Rock.

In the first part of this series, readers were reminded about three promises by military Heads of State – Gowon, Babangida and Abacha – to hand over to civilians at certain times; only for each of them to be forced out later – without delivering on their promises. Gown and IBB went out alive by palace coups. Abacha was bundled out, feet first, on account of mysterious, but divinely timed death.

When the military decided to hand over to “bloody civilians” in 1999, they also played a trick on us. Without saying it, they were not prepared to hand over to a true civilian; they were also not willing to have an Igbo man become the President. Dr Alex Ekwueme, founding father of the PDP, and the leading candidate to become President, was not acceptable to them – on account of the bad faith lingering from the Civil War. (See my book PDP: CORRUPTION INCORPORATED, pp 28-31, 97-105). So, even the so-called return to civil rule in 1999 was continuation of military rule by deception. Incidentally, after sixteen years of PDP rule, the Igbos have been placed in a sad situation. The earliest they can aspire to the Presidency is 2019 – and perhaps not even then. There will be more on that after the 2015 elections – if they hold.

Obasanjo entered office promising to uphold the constitution.

The ultimate was the attempt for tenure elongation, otherwise known as Third Term ambition. (See pp 35-39) Obasanjo had dissembled so much on this matter, it makes one to wonder if Baba Iyabo can any longer distinguish lie from truth. After spending six years rejecting the call for a Sovereign National Conference or any constitutional review at all, Obasanjo suddenly turned around to sponsor, with funds of unknown origin and not approved by the National Assembly, his own version of the CONFAB. Incidentally, the CONFAB concluded late last year, convened by Jonathan, also came after years of rejection of the idea. Any similarity between the two cannot be coincidental. Tucked neatly into the recommendations of the Obasanjo CONFAB was a clause about Third Term. That makes the fourth time a sitting Head of State would make promises about leaving which were later self-repudiated.

So, Mr President, your promise is the fifth from a Head of State, and history would reveal that the more they promise the more likely they would disappoint. African leaders don’t leave willingly. In your own case, there are two reasons for me to be skeptical, and you were involved in both incidents.

First, instead of your boss then Alameyeseigha, as Deputy Governor, in 2002, you attended an extended caucus meeting of the PDP at which zoning was ratified as a policy of the party. (Sir, I have a copy of those in attendance, so don’t bother to dispute it). You signed that document, perhaps, because you never expected to be Vice-President or President. But, when Yar’Adua died and you went on to complete his term, you denied knowledge of a zoning formula. I can never again believe a person who does that sort of thing.

Furthermore, in 2011, you published a document about ROAD MAP TO POWER TRANSFORMATION in which you specifically promised to achieve 14,100MW of power supply (not just generate) by December 2013. Today, less than 6,000MW is generated everyday, and since December 2014, 4000MW had been distributed in less than ten days. Yet, you go about claiming to have fulfilled ALL your promises. How on earth can anyone believe that? Tell me, Sir.

SPOT ANY DIFFERENCE?: LUNATIC AND MEDIA DIRECTOR

“There is a pleasure in being mad; which none but madmen know”, Saul Bellow. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 147).

A lunatic in Lagos is certain some people have met somewhere to work against the man who invited him to “come and eat”. He declines to give the exact date, place and time of the meeting. Somebody proclaimed there was a meeting in Dubai by people working against his Ogapatapata. He also declines to substantiate the charges. Spot anything?

LAST LINE: Forget 2015; wait till 2017 for uninterrupted power supply. That came from the same man who promised you 14100MW by 2013. “If a man fools you once, shame on him; if twice, shame on you.”