Nas Calls for Obasanjo's Resignation

This Day (Lagos)

January 30, 2004

Posted to the web January 30, 2004

Agaju Madugba

Kaduna

Former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Wada Nas, has asked President Olusegun Obasanjo to resign his position honourably before the Nigerian masses force him out.

In fact, Nas hinged the survival of the nation's democratic rule on the immediate resignation of the president.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, Nas accused Obasanjo of a campaign of calumny against former military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, over the latter's recent controversial letter to the president. "Government has failed to address fundamental issues which Col. Umar raised," Nas said, describing Umar as one of the foremost Nigerians who contributed to the emergence of Obasanjo as president in 1999.

According to Nas, "Obasanjo should resign now. That is the only way he can say thank you to Nigerians. That is the only way democracy can survive.

"What has Dangiwa Umar said that Gen. T. Y. Danjuma has not said, in a few words? Or the Afenifere and the Yoruba elders' forum.

"Is there any Nigerian today who can dispute (Umar's) assertions, no matter how sentimentally attached he is to Obasanjo? Is there any reasonable person today who can successfully defend the Obasanjo administration?

One thing is now clear, Obasanjo has lost the goodwill of all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion. "If Gen. Danjuma who worked so hard could regret his four years membership of the Obasanjo cabinet, what else is left about the disenchantment of Nigerians with him? If Dangiwa as the last defender could throw in the towel, then no one needs to be told that

Obasanjo is now a deserted leader.