Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised Nigerians not to allow the country’s democracy in the hands of non-democrats and hooligans.
Obasanjo said for Nigeria to continue to play its leading role in West Africa, Africa and the Black world, its democracy must be allowed to foster peace and unity.
“It unifies rather than divide if democracy is found as an instrument in the hands of democrats. If it is in the hands of those, I call thieves, hooligans in politics, it can be a dangerous weapon. So, we must avoid hooligans to have access to this beautiful weapon because they might abuse and misuse it,” he said.
He commended President Jonathan for his exemplary leadership to Nigeria and the life of exit from office, and urged him to continue in his responsibility for his community, state, country and Africa and the world.
Obasanjo explained that there are four seasons for a democratic politician.
“The first is when you start campaigning and go round to seek for votes, then the election comes and you win. The second season is when you take up office and all is going well, then suddenly there is ups and down, of course you came in with high popularity that’s why you are able to win election, but as you go on the popularity start to dwindle, until either you come to the expiration of your time or you lose election.
“Now the beginning of the third season, it does not matter who you are, immediately you leave office you will have lost friends, particularly the fair whether friends, and that is a very tight period for anybody who has been elected before. Then the fourth is when you weather the storm, until you start to pick up again,” he added.
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