PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Reuben Abati reacted on Wednesday to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments regarding the stewardship of Abati’s boss, President Goodluck Jonathan, whose efforts at handling the threat of the extremist group Boko Haram the former president considered inadequate.
Reacting in a series of tweets made on the social media facility, Tweeter, early on Wednesday, Mr. Abati denounced the former president for his remarks, describing him as a confused man unstable in his views.
The former president made his remarks in an interview with international cable news network, CNN, where he said that while President Jonathan was doing his best to keep Boko Haram on the run, he also needed to seek some sort of dialogue with the extremist group in order to ascertain the true nature of their grievances, if any.
“To deal with a group like that, you need a carrot and stick. The carrot is finding out how to reach out to them. When you try to reach out to them and they are not amenable to being reached out to, you have to use the stick,” Mr. Obasanjo told CNN.
But Mr. Abati took offense at Mr. Obasanjo’s remarks, saying on Twitter this morning that “In Nov. 2012 in Warri, fmr Prez. Obasanjo accused federal govt of being soft on Boko Haram. He recommended the Odi solution: genocide.”
Other tweets made by Mr. Abati included “In Jan.2013, OBJ tells CNN Govt shd adopt a carrot and stick approach to Boko Haram. Genocide & dialogue? Where exactly does he stand?
“OBJ’s position on Boko Haram= Contradiction and Confusion writ large.
“One report says OBJ is recommending a multifaceted approach to Boko Haram. This govt certainly doesn’t need a lecture on that!
“Jonathan administration has shown creativity & purposefulness in handling the BH challenge. Hence, the progress we witness.”
The disagreement between the two leaders have deepened in recent months, the latest being the unexpected sharp reaction from the presidential spokesman in response to Mr. Obasanjo’s most recent comments on Nigeria’s security challenges.
Sharpedgenews.com reported last September about Mr. Obasanjo’s attempt to meet up with President Jonathan to iron out issues while the president was in New York for the annual United National General Assembly meeting. Whatever gains that may have been achieved at the meeting between the duo may have been eroded with the latest flare-up.
Another such attempt at a peace meeting was initiated by a December 15 visit to President Obasanjo at his Otta home by PDP Chair Bamanga Tukur.
At that meeting, Mr. Obasanjo reportedly told Tukur that he would be doing a disservice unto himself and the country if he stopped commenting on national issues as he had been doing.