By Jide Ajani, Political Editor
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, December 28, 2005

*As Gani warns Obasanjo not to dare God on 3rd term bid

As they met, Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), warned President Obasanjo not to dare God on the third term bid, because as he (Fawehinmi) put it: “What is it that is bugging you to sit tight at 70 in 2007.”
The two former military leaders, who are rarely seen together in public, were in Umuahia at the instance of the governor. Vanguard was reliably informed that the meeting which took place at Government House, Umuahia, was very private.
The meeting was held between 10:55a.m and 12:15p.m. General Buhari, according to sources close to Government House, Umuahia, arrived the Abia State capital on Monday night while General Babangida arrived Umuahia yesterday morning.
Details of the talks were sketchy at press time. However, sources hinted that it was not unconnected with the present political gyrations in the country.

Vanguard was informed that the alleged third term plot woven around the person of President Obasanjo was central to the discussions. The position of political leaders of Southern Nigeria contained in their communiqué at the end of their meeting last Monday in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, specifically the demand by the leaders that the presidency must remain in the South after 2007, was also discussed.

Fawehinmi warns Obasanjo not to dare God

Also yesterday, Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, in a five-page statement warned President Obasanjo not to dare God on the third term bid issue.

He said: “In view of the importance of 2006, which will determine 2007, I have decided to send to you this Open New Year Message. I have never sent you any seasonal greetings before. And this is not one. Since the course of this nation will be determined in all its ramifications by your third term bid, it is necessary to send this message which is stated below:
“The Obasanjo third term bid
“Do not disturb the polity.
“Do not lay a dangerous precedent.
“Do not tempt God.
“Do not ignore the feelings of the people as they are against your bid.
“The agony, the anguish, the pain and the pang of crushing poverty, which your six years in office had brought on the majority of Nigerians show no sign of abating.

“On Monday, October 1, 1979, you voluntarily handed over power when you were a young 42-year old military dictator to a democratically elected president. On Saturday, October 1, 1999, you became a civilian president and swore to uphold the constitution, which prescribes a two-term presidency and no more.

“On Thursday, October 1, 2003, at the beginning of your second term in office as president, you swore to uphold the same constitution, which prescribes a two-term presidency. Is there any destructive evil lurking somewhere that is preventing you from easily leaving office as an old man of 70 on the 29th May, 2007?

“In 1979, you proved that a military dictator could hand over power to a democracy. Why should it be difficult in 2007 for you as a “democratically elected President” to hand over power to another democratically elected President if you genuinely believe in democracy?

“Mr. President, since third-term bid controversy erupted, the Nigerian society has been divided, highly polarised, particularly along dangerous ethnic and tribal cleavages which virtually now colour every governmental thought, policy, programme and nuances.

“Mr. President, you ought to know if you are sincere to yourself that Nigeria is different in every respect from Gabon where Omar Bongo has lorded it over the Gabonese since 1967, from Uganda where Yoweri Museveni has blinded Ugandans since 1986, from Egypt where Hosni Mubarak has ingloriously sat tight since 1981. And that is African Union (AU) you lead as the Chairman.

"The internationally revered Nelson Mandela warned you against it and your propagandists abused him that he was senile. President George Bush of the United States of America, the current President in his second term, warned you against it but your publicists railed against hint, saying that the Americans cannot teach you democracy, despite the fact that you begged them for debt relief. And you continually plead with them for investment in our country.

“Mr. President, in your capacity as Chairman of the Commonwealth of Nations, you should be aware of the record of the Commonwealth against sit tight presidents. What is it that is bugging you to sit tight at 70 in 2007?
“In 1995, you were found guilty of planning a phantom coup by the late General Sani Abacha. We pleaded with General Abacha not to execute you and others because we believed you were innocent. You served three years in prison. God rescued you despite your ailment. You left the prison to become an “elected President” in controversial circumstances. After the first term, you continued as President in the second term.

“What is it that is bugging you to remain in office at the old age of 70 in 2007? Do not do it. Do not extend your time.
“It is incontrovertible that any third term bid by you is psychologically, spiritually, physically, emotionally and in every respect a suicide mission driven by perverted ambition even when it is so glaring that it is unattainable in the Nigeria of today. It is not too late for you to change your perilous course.

"A national broadcast on the 1st of January 2006 that you will hand over government as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 29th of May, 2007 will bring down the negative temperature of the country and bring the country back from the brink of looming catastrophe or calamity.

“Mr. President, if you fail to hearken unto this seasonal message, you have yourself or your soul to blame; or do you want to make it a case of those the gods want to destroy, they first make mad; and in your own case they first make obstinate, truculently obstinate?
“Wishing you a God-fearing, sane and humble 2006.”