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The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon in Oyo State, Oba Francis Alao, has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to halt parading himself as a saint in the country.
The monarch’s statement was against the backdrop of the comment by Obasanjo that most Nigerian political leaders of this dispensation were not morally upright and should be behind bars.
This was as the deputy spokesman for the House of Representatives,Philip Agbese, said Obasanjo lied on the claim that National Assembly members fixed their own salaries and were being bribed by the executive.
The ex-President insisted that the country would not progress towards achieving its goals unless leaders and citizens embraced what he termed “moral rearmament.”
Obasanjo reportedly spoke in Abeokuta when he received six members of the House of Representatives, who are co-sponsors of bills proposing a single six-year term, rotation of the Presidency between the North and South, and rotation of governorship slots among the three senatorial districts of each of the 36 states.
“Our main problem is ourselves. Whether we adopt a single term of six years or two terms of four years, if we maintain the same mentality and approach, nothing will change.
“The real issue is ourselves. Yes, the system needs rethinking, but the character of people in government must change. With all due respect, many in government should currently be behind bars or on the gallows,”,” Obasanjo had said.
However, taking the former President on on Sunday, Oba Alao, in a statement said Obasanjo could not claim to be a saint.
The monarch said though he aligned with Obasanjo’s position, the former President should lead by example “by submitting himself for incarceration as a leader of this generation of the so-called corrupt people. There is no way he can exclude himself.”
“Excluding himself from those he described as corrupt leaders is nothing but grandstanding since Chief Obasanjo cannot wash his hands clean of all activities that brought Nigeria to this undesirable state.
“Chief Obasanjo should stop parading himself all over the world as a saint when he is one of the leaders that steered the ship of Nigeria from 1976 to date. He is inclusive of the 90 per cent of Nigerian leaders that should be in prison for corruption.
“Let him go and surrender himself before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as an example. Nigerians should be watchful of Chief Obasanjo.”
Also, the deputy spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, berated Obasanjo over his comment.
Agbese, described as spurious Obasajo’s allegation that members of the National Assembly fixed their own salaries.
Agbese said, “The former President is wrong because the 10th House of Reps is totally different from his era.
“As a parliament, we have strived to maintain the highest level of accountability and transparency in all that we do under Speaker Tajudeen Abass.”
The spokesman said it would be wrong for Obasanjo to recall the National Assembly of his era to the current legislature.
“I am bold to say that the very respected former President is right and wrong because of the things that transpired between him and the National Assembly during his time as President.
“The current crop of representatives has done quite a lot to deliver to the poor masses.
“We mean what we say and everything that we do as a parliament. The era of narrow interest is over. We are here for our people and their collective interests,” Agbese said.
