The war of words between President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, showed no sign of abating yesterday as the presidency accused the vice president of trying to incite the people of the Niger Delta region in order to scuttle the transition programme.
While opening his campaign office on Tuesday, Atiku had said: “A few weeks ago, this government approved over $2 billion to buy weapons to suppress the people of Niger Delta, not to develop the area. I will channel that money to the development of the area because if the area is developed, the people will not carry arms.”
Reacting to the allegation, the President�s special assistant on Public Affairs, Uba Sani, said the Vice President’s accusation was a figment of his imagination and challenged Atiku to prove to Nigerians that such money was expended.
According to the presidential aide, the Federal Government would not sit by and allow any individual, no matter how highly placed, to cause crisis in the country.
He said the constitutional right of freedom of expression granted all Nigerians must be exercised with utmost responsibility, warning that the Federal Government would not fold its arms and watch any individual, no matter his position, to cause disaffection and chaos in the society.
He said going by Atiku’s claim when he spoke to the visiting foreign journalists that the president was planning to impose emergency rule in the country as a ploy to perpetuate himself in office and his statement on the acquisition of arms to quell the violence in the Niger Delta, it was not difficult to ascertain where Atiku was heading.
�This allegation is regrettable, mischievous and aimed at inciting violence in the Niger Delta region. It is a calculated attempt to create a crisis of monumental proportions, with the aim of scuttling the transition programme�, he stated.
Sani said there were security reports indicating that the vice president was in league with some unnamed elements in the country to use the Niger Delta as a launching pad for their destabilisation plot, adding that their plan was that once the Niger Delta erupted, foreign missions would declare Nigeria unsafe and panic would ensue.
�We wish to warn Atiku and his co�conspirators to desist forthwith from this path of destruction. Government will bring the full weight of the law to bear on any person found to be conspiring against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The law enforcement agencies have been placed on full alert�, he further warned.
Sani accused the vice president of trying to draw the people of Niger Delta into his war with the president “having failed woefully to whip up sentiments in the north and get the people to defend him in his desperation to wriggle out of the corruption charge.”
He said it was unfortunate that Atiku chose an issue like the Niger Delta situation which, according to him, had been dear to the heart of the president, to anchor his allegation, pointing out that from inception, the Obasanjo administration had taken upon itself the responsibility to redress the long neglect of the Niger Delta region.
�Apart from establishing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the president has since not wavered in his single�minded determination to tackle the problems of the region. No Government in the history of Nigeria has given so much attention to the problems of the Niger Delta like the current government.
�The president has not only convened several stakeholder forums, he equally constituted a committee for the development of the coastal states of the region which he personally chairs.
“It is a key mechanism for bringing together key stakeholders in the Niger Delta, including the militants, the market women, youth leaders, civil society activists and community leaders among others, to sit with the president and the relevant state governors to find solutions to the lingering crisis.
�It is on record that Atiku Abubakar, who is making the allegations and who now claims to be championing the cause of the Niger Delta, only attended the forum on Niger Delta once apparently because of his disdain for the people of the region.
�We dare Atiku to tell Nigerians what proposal for addressing the Niger Delta problem he ever made to government and it was turned down. On the contrary, Atiku made it a point of duty not to attend meetings convened to discuss the Niger Delta issue�, he further averred.
While urging Nigerians to ignore what he called Atiku�s latest antics, he said there was need for all well meaning people to condemn him for carrying his feud with President Obasanjo too far to the extent of trying to foment trouble in the country because of his selfish reasons.
�Atiku has always played the role of a fifth columnist in the Obasanjo government. While other patriotic public functionaries deploy their energies and time to the effective and efficient implementation of government policies and programmes, Atiku works round the clock to sabotage their efforts�, he added.
But the Atiku Campaign last night dismissed Sani’s claim as no more than idle talk, saying it would not react to the statement until a more senior person spoke.
According to Mallam Garba Shehu, “the problem you have in dealing with Mr. Uba Sani is that you don’t know when he is authorised and when he is not. When a more senior person confirms his (Sani’s) mandate, we shall respond appropriately.”
Meanwhile, addressing supporters at the premises of the campaign headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku, while reiterating that the struggle for tenure elongation was not over, had said his political struggle was a battle against double standards and hypocrisy.
Atiku said the way the constitution of PDP had been amended, it would provide the ground for Obasanjo to still rule the country through the backdoor after leaving office.
He said: “The journey to this hour has been very tortuous and challenging. But if those who made it so hoped that it would distract, intimidate and demoralise us they were mistaken. We are here, we are marching forward and no one can stop us.
“The struggle for democracy is usually a difficult one but it is one that patriots must engage in if they hope to be free. To avoid the struggle for freedom for whatever reason is to run away from freedom. No human being and no nation must run away from freedom.
“This is not just a campaign headquarters. It is also the centre of our people’s struggle for democracy, rule of law, fairness and equity. It is the headquarters of our people’s struggle against double standards, hypocrisy, and the impunity of those who play God. Fortunately, there is only one God.
“The basic rights which we fought for over the years are seriously being eroded by those who think that holding unto power is their birthright. Nigerians are progressively being sidelined and neglected in the scheme of things. Their welfare has been forgotten. I promise to use my position as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to restore true democracy in this country.
“A few weeks ago, this government approved over $2 billion to buy weapons to suppress the people of the Niger Delta, not to develop the area. I will channel that money to the development of the area because if the area is developed, the people will not carry guns.
“We must ensure that elections take place as scheduled. Let us work to ensure that people cast their votes and their votes count. We must stop those who want life presidency through the back doors.
“Let us campaign hard . Let us tell our people the truth. Our people are not asking for too much. All they ask for are basically recognised human rights – the right to life, good education, freedom of expression, jobs, decent living, especially those whose environment is being ravaged by the exploitation of natural resources such as those in the Niger Delta.”
Feb12007