The Premium Times reports that a few days after he attended the wedding ceremony of President Goodluck Jonathan’s niece, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he would not compromise on his criticism of the president, insisting that he (Jonathan) has failed in his performance.
Mr. Obasanjo showed up at the wedding ceremony of Mr. Jonathan’s niece in Abuja five days after he accused the president of squandering $35 billion crude oil savings left behind by his administration.
He also alleged that the president, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 14 election, had depleted the nation’s foreign reserves account from $60 left by late President Umaru Yar’Adua to $40 billion.
The former president told Premium Times in an exclusive telephone interview on Monday that he would not stop criticising Mr. Jonathan despite attending the wedding because the issues had to do with the progress of Nigeria, the paper said.
“There is no personal issue between me and him,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “He invited me to his daughter’s wedding, I had time and I attended. So, there is no issue of reconciliation or un-reconciliation. You people don’t understand. The wedding was a social event,” Mr. Obasanjo said.
“He (Jonathan) has failed in his performance and that I have made clear. No compromise about that. There is no compromise about anything that has to do with the progress of Nigeria. If I have an event I will invite him, if he has time he can attend.”
“You people don’t understand this matter. I have nothing against him. I am not fighting him but I won’t compromise on serious matters about Nigeria.” (Premium Times)