‘Sit-tight African Leaders' warned

‘Sit-tight African Leaders' warned
Funke Atohengbe, South Africa

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo says time is running out for sit-tight leaders in Africa and that they should take a cue from those who honorably disengaged from power at the expiration of their term.

Speaking at the presentation of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) report at the World Economic Forum Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, Chief Obasanjo said that African leaders should know that there is life after the state house.

He  said that African leaders, unless where absolutely necessary, should be left to retire  and live peacefully after leaving office, as this will help in encouraging others not to hold on to power endlessly.

The former Nigerian leader, however, urged leaders not to do anything that will make them to be worried about going to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Advisory note

Chief Obasanjo also had a word for the newly elected Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan in his new mandate saying he should focus on six key areas to move the country forward.

He listed the areas as economy, security, unemployment, fighting corruption, infrastructure and energy.

The former Nigerian leader said the last elections in Nigeria by its results, had strengthened the unity of the country.

He said it had also strengthened the issue of federal character which the ruling People’s Democratic Party believed in.

“We believe in what is in our constitution. It is written that there must be federal character reflected in all our elected position so we said for now at least when you have a president from the north, and he has had his term whenever it ends either by himself, the constitution or by God, the next one should come from the other part of the country and we have been proved right.

“I believe the result of the last election has in fact strengthened our unity. For the first time in our country, we got somebody from the minority south being elected on his own right and merit and it never has happened before and people could not believe it,” Obasanjo said.

The World Economic Forum, attended by over 900 participants from 60 countries noted that Africa has made progress in the last one year compared to other parts of the world but that more still needed to be done to sustain the growth.

Qasim