Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday declared that Nigeria had been badly run in the last eight years, but added that President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has the required experience to fix the country?s various problems. Buhari is not a novice in governance, he added.
Obasanjo, however, also advised the President-elect not to take Nigerians for granted in administering the country from May 29.
The former President said these while playing host to a delegation of South West women leaders under the leadership of the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, at his Abeokuta, Ogun State, home.He told the visitors that he believed in the political acumen of the President-elect in leading Nigeria aright.
While urging Buhari to be as honest as possible in overseeing the country, Obasanjo described the people as clever ones that could not be deceived.
He also appealed to Nigerians to pray for the success of the Buhari-led government and also to cooperate with the in-coming government.
Obasanjo noted that the country had been poorly managed in the last eight years contending that it would take a time for Buhari?s government to correct the anomalies, asking the President-elect not to be frightened with the situations.
He maintained that Buhari has the experience having ruled the country as a military Head of State from 1983 to 1985.
His words: ?When I came in, in 1999, there was no fuel and power. The situation was like this and I thought we had put that one behind us. The man that is coming on board has a lot of experience in terms of governance.
?He is not a greenhorn. We have both worked together in administering, then as a military Head of State and we did it well. Nigerians need to exercise patience because what has been destroyed in eight years cannot be re-built in a day.?
?Let?s give him time. Let?s pray for him and let?s cooperate with him. We are all concerned about the present situation of Nigeria. The expectation is very high but at the same time, there is a lot of goodwill internally and externally for the in-coming government.
?Once the in-coming administration realises this and takes every step, particularly in the first three months, when people will be watching and counting, I think for me, we will get there.?
The former President further said that with Buhari at the helm of affairs of the nation, the citizens would have a new opportunity.
He said: ?God has provided a new opportunity for Nigeria and Nigerians and I believe God does not make mistake. One of the good things about the in-coming President is that he is not a green horn.
?There are two things I believe the in-coming President appreciates. One is that he knows that the expectations of Nigerians are high and that he should not be frightened by the situation on ground.
?All he has to do is to be honest with Nigerians, he should not deceive them. He should not be an ostrich. He should not deceive Nigerians and not to be too clever with them.
?There is a lot of goodwill for the in-coming administration from within and outside the country. What is important is that steps have to be taken that will not lead to the squandering of the goodwill and I believe the in-coming government will be able to take care of that.?
In her remarks, Lawson said that the country is currently experiencing agony in terms of corruption; insecurity, high crime rate, crippling power shortage, and absence of fuel.
She noted that Obasanjo took over reins of leadership in 1999 when Nigeria was in a critical situation like is being experienced now and urged the former President to continue to play the advisory in ensuring the success of the incoming administration.
She said: ?We are aware that you also took over the reins of power of this country at a critical time and with the help of the Almighty, you were able to bring us back from the brink. The same goes for now.
?We therefore appeal to you not to leave this upcoming government alone. Though we are confident in time proven abilities of our incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari, we also believe that two heads are better than one and where there is a gathering of wise ones, wisdom will issue forth from there.?
