OBJ The Spin Doctor And The Oracle Of Power Enthronement In Nigeria

DR. TANKO USMAN

A few days ago in a short meeting in the presidential wing of Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, Obasanjo remarked that David Mark was the finest leader in Nigeria and has started urging him to run for the Presidency 2019.

This is at a time well wishers are thronging to London to give a sitting President get well soon wishes. This sitting President is a man that has given Obasanjo an open access in all ramifications, yet Obasanjo can’t wait to see his friend well enough for the President to decline another term.

The character of this elder statesman could be seen to exonerate his daughter Iyabo two years ago when she accused her father,  Obasanjo, of behaving as if he owns Nigeria. Obasanjo systematically operates as an oracle that turns out who must be the President of Nigeria for his selfish reasons.

Now to the real issues: David Bonaventure Allechenu Mark,  who has been a political officer since the Task Force  on Abandonment  in Port Harcourt immediately after the civil war continued to wax strong within the Army politics, became Governor in Babangida’s regime 1985 , Minister of Communications and later went into exile after he fell apart with Abacha. And could be remembered as one of the political Officers that stalled June 12. He was a mole for Obasanjo who signaled the failure of June 12 by his remark that Abiola was not the needed Messiah before the junta annulled the election. The event of the annulment and the beneficiaries of the events became Obasanjo who became president by unanimous agreement that the Yorubas should be compensated because of the failure of June 12. David Mark became a beneficiary becoming a senate President for 8 years , all to the accrued democratic dividends a product of June 12.

David Mark’s prominence in the political landscape of Nigeria did not have any positive effect on his people in Benue state. It is on record that Benue state has the worst road networks in northern Nigeria. Rather than enhancing the poor people, he was seen building a family political empire and holding every political aspirants to ransom.

He was accused of pocketing the monies for the contract of all roads in zone C using a company Rockbridge. He holds the pockets of all LGs  to the jugular.
At the federal level he was in the center of the pension fund fraud whose inquiry never saw the light of the day.

Should Nigeria continue in this nightmare of recycling old people? Nigeria has the Kwankwansos, the Makarfis, the El-Rufais, and myriads of northern youth who are eminently qualified if president Buhari declines to re contest.

Obasanjo cannot recommend a high profile discredited politician of northern extraction like David Mark for the north. If the northern minorities-Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Kogi , Southern Kaduna, Plateau- want to have a shot at the Presidency,  there are so many qualified personalities, but no more old people. David Mark’s official age will be 71 in 2019. The North should be wise so that Obasanjo does not meddle in our affairs again.

. Dr Tanko Usman