Obasanjo Tries To End ‘Letter Drama’ By Refusing To Reply Jonathan
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has tried to put an end to the drama that has engulfed the country since the revelation of his letter, dated December 2, 2013, to President Goodluck Jonathan by refusing to give a response to Jonathan’s reply published on Sunday.
Reactions to former president Obasanjo’s letter had dominated the newsreel ever since its publication earlier in the month. Dividing the country along ethnic lines into ‘team Obasanjo’ and ‘team Jonathan’.
Twist was added to the drama when the Vanguard newspaper published another letter, purportedly written by Iyabo Obasanjo, Olusegun Obasanjo’s daughter accusing the father of being a hypocrite and a manipulator.
Denials and evidence of double confirmations swiftly followed Iyabo Obasanjo’s purported letter followed by allegations from certain quarters that Iyabo’s letter was actually written by one of Jonathan’s trusted aides.
At a press conference attended by an aide to the former president, Tunde Oladunjoye, Obasanjo delivered a statement read by his aide to newsmen that he had no plans of responding to Jonathan’s reply.
The statement read:
“Since the publication of the letter written by the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, which was in response to the letter earlier written by revered former President Olusegun Obasanjo; we have received several requests from local & international media asking to know Chief Obasanjo’s reaction to Mr. President’s response.
“One, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, acknowledges Mr. President’s letter/response. However, Baba, as he already indicated in his December 2, 2013 letter, does not wish to make further comments beyond the contents of his last letter to Mr. President or react to the said letter/response from Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Let me quote from page fourteen, paragraph two of Chief Obasanjo’s letter to Mr. President dated December 2, 2013 and titled, “Before It Is Too Late”:
‘I will maintain my serenity, because by this letter I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to your government, to the party, PDP, and to our country, Nigeria’.
“Two, let me reiterate here, that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR has tremendous respect for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo sincerely appreciates all of you, my cherished colleagues; gentlemen and women of the media profession, who have been very upright, ethical and robust on the subject matter.”
Jonathan’s reply to Obasanjo’s response to his reply is still being awaited.