Jonathan stops SSS from quizzing Obasanjo

The Presidency may have put on hold its earlier
directive to the State Security Service to
investigate the weighty allegations contained in
the controversial letter written by former
president Olusegun Obasanjo to President
Goodluck Jonathan in December last year.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the Presidency
decided to halt the investigation of the issues
raised in the former president's letter in order to
amicably settle the rift between President
Jonathan and his political benefactor.
It was learnt that notable political leaders in the
country were already engrossed in moves to bring
the President and Obasanjo together.
It was further gathered that security operatives
were directed to stop the investigation as a result
of the ongoing efforts in high political circles to
broker a truce between the two political figures.
A source close to the Presidency, who craved
anonymity because he was not authorised to
speak on behalf of the President, told one of our
correspondents in Abuja on Thursday that the
President was more interested in settling his
differences with Obasanjo than carrying out the
investigation that could deepen the crisis.
"The President was the one that gave the
directive but I think another counter directive is in
force now; they might not go into investigating all
those things in the letter. I think they are making
efforts to settle this matter.
"Political elders are intervening in it so the
President asked them to stay action on it; so, for
now there is nothing on it.
"There is the need to take a look at the political
implication of the course of action. Besides, the
President believes that his differences with
Obasanjo are not irreconcilable," the source said.
Security operatives had earlier contacted the
former president over the controversial letter two
weeks ago in response to an earlier directive by
President Goodluck Jonathan.
A security source told one of our correspondents
that the SSS wrote Obasanjo following a
presidential directive to security operatives to
investigate the grave issues raised by the former
president in his letter to the President late last
year.
It was learnt that the SSS wrote to notify Obasanjo
of the impending investigation.
Obasanjo had in an 18-page letter to the
President, accused him, among other things, of
not honouring his words that he would not run in
2015, and taking actions calculated at destroying
Nigeria.
In the letter dated December 2, 2013 and titled,
"Before it is too late", Obasanjo accused the
President of pursuing "selfish personal and political
interests" based on advice from his "self-centred
aides."
He also alleged that the President had failed to
deliver on his promises to Nigerians and to curb
insurgency and corruption in the country.
Obasanjo also alleged that the President had put
1,000 politicians on a watch list and was training
snipers.
"Nigeria is bleeding and the haemorrhage must be
stopped," an obviously angry Obasanjo had
lamented. He went ahead to declare that
"Jonathan had betrayed God and Nigerians," who
voted him into power.
In his response, Jonathan described the former
president's letter as a threat to national security.
The source added that the agency wrote Obasanjo
on the week he wrote the then Chairman of the
PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to announce his
decision to withdraw from the activities of the PDP
at the national and regional levels.
It was further learnt that the leadership of the SSS
might decide to put the investigation on hold
because of a move by the Federal Government
and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic
Party to resolve the matter through peaceful
means.
The source said, "Obasanjo ought to have been
summoned, but we have also been instructed to
put investigation on hold for a possible peaceful
resolution of the issues at stake.''
However, a source close to the former president
said that the SSS could not have summoned the
former President even though the person was not
specific in denying if a letter was written to the
former President to notify him of the investigation.
The source also said that the issue of the SSS
inviting Obasanjo was not likely as 'they couldn't
have done so' now that efforts were being made
to settle the whole problem.
The source added that Obasanjo had been out of
the country since last week, noting that he was
expected back into the country within the week.
When contacted on Thursday, SSS Deputy
Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, pleaded
for time to find out the status of the probe. "I will
find out and get back to you," the SSS
spokesperson said.
But attempts to get Ogar's reaction on Friday did
not yield fruits as she neither pick her calls nor
respond to text messages sent to her phone.
The police however claimed that they were not
involved in the probe of the allegations made by
former president Obasanjo.
A senior police officer confided in one of our
correspondents that the police did not have record
of investigation of the allegations made by
Obasanjo.
The officer described the issues as political which
he said would be resolved by the parties
concerned. He added adding that the Force would
not be involved in political issues.
"Do we have any record of such an investigation
of Obasanjo's allegations? I will say we don't have
such information with us. In any case, there is no
way we can investigate the former president and
those close to him would not know. Such an
investigation cannot be hidden and the police will
have to comment on it publicly if it is true, but for
now, there is no information or record on any
probe against Obasanjo," the source said.
In previous attempts to confirm the status of the
probe with the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, he had
always said he would not comment on alleged
reversal of any directive that was officially issued
by the President.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP,
Mr. Olisah Metuh, has said that the new National
Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, is
likely to meet former president Obasanjo as he
commences efforts to woo aggrieved PDP
members to the party next week.
Metuh said that the new chairman of the party
would unveil his agenda for reconciliation in the
party with effect from next week.
He said that Mu'azu placed emphasis on the issue
of reconciliation when he hosted the Governor of
Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, in Abuja.
He said that Mu'azu's agenda for reconciliation
also included how to get the former president to
participate in the party's activities.
Metuh said, "The National Chairman is unveiling
his agenda next week, but he has already said
that the issue of reconciliation is paramount and
very important.
"He stated this when he received the Governor of
Jigawa State and he said categorically that he
would try and bring the people that left.
"And the National Chairman has enormous,
complete respect for our former President and our
former Chairman, Board of Trustees, (Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo) and I am sure that he would
unveil his agenda and the way that he would
engage him in the coming weeks.
"He is unveiling his agenda for reconciliation and
everything from next week, and would include the
process of engaging the former President to
ensure that he remains involved in the activities
of the party, but let us wait for the national
chairman to unveil his agenda from next week;
from next week, he would start making policy
statements on it."
punch
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