As a leader you must not deliberately do evil - Obasanjo to President Jonathan

Former President Obasanjo, who was the Chairman at a book launch at Abuja in honour of the pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, Mr. Mustapha Aknbi called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to stop encouraging verbal violence which may not physically hurt but can generate into physical violence. 

 

He said, “Management of democracy without resorting to brute force and dictatorial tendencies must be cultivated.''

 

“As a leader, you must not deliberately do evil or condone evil. You should know that you will one day give account to God, you may cover up here, but before God, there is no cover up.”

 

 

 

The former president also spoke at length on the President’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, ‎corruption, the economy and youth unemployment.

On insecurity, Mr. Obasanjo said Boko Haram is not out to “frustrate anyone’s political efforts” and lamented that it took Mr. Jonathan years to ‎fully understand the menace.

Regarding corruption, Mr. Obasanjo said, “when the head is rotten, the whole body is useless”

On the economy, he said Nigeria would continue to sink deeper because the picture of the economy being painted by this administration is truly not what it is.  “The economy is in doldrums, if not in reverse,” he said.

Mr. Obasanjo’s latest attack on the President is coming seven days after he rated Mr. Jonathan’s performance as below average while addressing writers at Abeokuta as part of activities marking the Ake Arts and Book Festival.  He said, “I rate this current administration below average,” he stated in response to a question about Mr. Jonathan’s performance.