DURING the Obasanjo years, there were fraudulent payments made on railway projects worth N8.3 billion, including the lines running from Lagos to Kano with tributaries.

The fraud and contract manipulations with Siemens, Wilbross and Hallibuton  happened under his government.
Two of Obasanjo’s Ministers, Professor Babalola Aboririshade and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode were, in February 2009, ordered by the law courts to refund a total of N5.4 billion fraudulently stolen from the Ministry of Aviation.

Both  the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, revealed that they recovered about N600 billion allegedly stolen by some individuals during Obasanjo’s tenure.

The huge proceeds from massive corruption were allegedly invested in the prosecution of his botched third term bid.
These are just a few samples of  the criminal plunder of the Nigerian state during the eight years he was in power.

And for these violations, millions of decent Nigerians, including the media and civil society organisations (see Daily Trust of November 17, 2008) demanded the probe of Obasanjo in all areas in which the former President was alleged to have committed economic crimes against the nation.

The ugly fact is that Nigeria lost more money to corruption and other dubious deals under the Obasanjo’s administration than at any time in our political history. The most abhorrent aspect of this was his insistence on shutting out of the electoral process those he labelled as “enemies”.

He personalised the selection of political process in the ruling peoples Democratic Party, PDP, including the unprecedented deregistration of party members whom he believed were not loyal to him. Also appalling was his concoction of adverse security reports on such people who were then subjected to the most traumatising personal humiliation by Nuhu Ribadu’s EFCC to ensure that only candidates approved by Obasanjo – from councilors to governors – participated in the 2007 elections.

It is pertinent to add that the history of corruption dates back to the era of military incursion into our political life. In other words, the military brought corruption into government in Nigeria and Obasanjo played a prominent role in that beginning. So, whether under military dictatorship or civilian governance, Obasanjo cannot escape culpability for the state of corruption in Nigeria.

Political manipulations may be pardonable but fraud and criminality must be punishable, without fear or favour. The scale at which Nigeria was defrauded under the Obasanjo administration is unimaginable; which raises the question as to whether this man should, indeed, be free to walk the streets of Nigeria.  Certainly, Obasanjo has no right to brand any other leader as corrupt, particularly without any clear evidence.

The ruling PDP, the platform on which President Jonathan was elected must re-examine itself. The unfortunate statement by Obasanjo, who is the Chairman of the party’s BOT, is evident loss of faith in the leadership of the party and its moral legitimacy to continue to rule. It is an embarrassment to the party. Obasanjo has no choice but to resign.

Mr. ISAIAH TEJUMOLA, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.