A second republic minister for mines and steel Paul Unongo believes the open letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a wake-up call to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Unongo said this on Thursday during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
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Amid the attacks in parts of the country among other challenges, he noted that the issues raised in the statement issued by former President Obasanjo on Tuesday showed his concern for Nigeria and its people.
“I think it was a wakeup call from a superior military officer in comrade, in arms, to him that: ‘look sit up, somebody is trying to do you in – if you still can listen, please do something,” the elder statesman said.
“I think those who know him read Obasanjo from the point of somebody getting worried that his (the President) highly respected and respectable person is being shortchanged by the people who are managing him.
“People will not give Obasanjo that credit, but I think it was a cry of anguish. The former President seems to have given up on evolved (not evolving) political process in Nigeria,” he added.
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In the 13-page statement, the former President alleged that the Buhari government has failed the people, especially in its fight against corruption.
He had also advised the President not to seek re-election and called for a new movement to salvage Nigeria from its challenges.
In its reaction, the Federal Government issued a statement in which it said Obasanjo was to busy to notice the achievements of the present administration.
Questioned whether he agrees that the responses in the government’s statement do not address the issues raised by the former President, Unongo said, “Yes, I do.”
“To some extent, I felt this was an opportunity for the Federal Government to explain some of the strange happenings.
“We know Buhari, I am one of the people who worked very hard for him to come into power. We saw him with (late Tunde) Idiagbon and he could take decisions that were very patriotic and implement them right away,” he added.
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The former co-convener of the Northern Elders’ Forum said he had interacted with both leaders fairly and closely.
He added that despite claims by some people that the former President was playing politics with the letter, it was good politics.
Unongo said: “I think Obasanjo is being Obasanjo; he’s truthful in the pursuit of what he believes is what is in the best interest of Nigerians.
“To that extent, I think people should not react to his letter emotionally. I think he participated in bringing the present administration into power.”
