Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and one time presidential aspirant, Chief Olu Falae has described President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as a non-achiever and total failure in all indices of performance measurements.
Falae who was also a former Minister of Finance gave the damning assessment of the Jonathan government during a press conference to unveil a new political cum civil society group, Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA) in Abuja where he described the ruling PDP and the main opposition party, APC as two sides of a coin.
The 76 year old politician however said that though he is not contesting the next presidential election but will actively support any younger candidate vying for the position of president to unseat President Jonathan. Investigations by iReports-ng.com reveal that the Ondo state born technocrat is working for the emergence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who is a close friend to Falae’s late son, Deji who was the Ondo state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism until his death months ago in a plane crash in Lagos.
According to Falae: “the current government has failed to perform and deal with the endemic problems prevalent in Nigeria like poverty, unemployment, insecurity, insurgency etc. From one administration to the other, they are two sides of same coin. It has been the same incompetence, culture of rigging, lack of philosophy or competent manifesto.
“So, people say, where do we go and what do we do? That was how we brought this alliance, Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA) as the alternative to lead these two none performing parties. We have read our programmes and philosophy and back them with our track records and credibility.”
While distancing himself from the rot in the Nigerian system where he has been actively involved, the former SGF said “I was part of the system but certainly not part of the corrupt system. All my life, I have stood for what is right and proper, I have stood for integrity and principle. Recall that late General Sani Abacha detained me for two years even when I was his colleague in the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida military administration. We were practically friends but my sin was that I refused to compromise. I had told him my mind that the annulment of Abiola’s election was not right because he was challenging the whole Nigeria that gave him the mandate.
“While I was still in detention, they offered me many things to compromise and regain my freedom, but I refused. They begged me to renounce my membership of NADECO but I refused because that was where I stood. I was part of the past but not the corrupt and unprincipled past.
“I had offered myself in 1999 to change Nigeria, they all voted, but they gave it to Olusegun Obasanjo who messed up the country. Why didn’t Nigerians give it to me in 1999?”
Also denouncing any insinuation he may be interested in next year’s elections, the former Minister declared that “I am not contesting again because I am already 76 years old. I would prefer a younger person to contest and I will certainly give them support and advice. We did not form this alliance because I want to contest.
“Such is Nigerian mentality. We have set a standard that anybody who wants to contest must meet. Yes, sentiment is part of politics but it should not dominate politics, there should be reasoning as well.”
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