'Any leader who can’t perform should get out of office' - Obasanjo

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo today said any leader who cannot perform in office by providing leadership should get out of office.  

Obasanjo, who spoke at the Lagos State University, LASU, Convocation lecture in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria said such a leader should not think of seeking re-election but to get out of office.  

The former President, though, did not mention the name of President Muhammadu Buhari in his speech, but his words betrayed him and pointed to the president. Obasanjo spoke on the “Role of tertiary education in promoting social cohesion and peace: Opportunities and Challenges for Nigeria.” He said four needs were basic features anyone leading a country must be ready to bring to fore because they worked together. 

According to him, “We need those four things. If for any reason, you, as a leader in any walks of life, you cannot give leadership, maintain good governance; you cannot understand what development is and maintain and cherish values within our cultures, you must ship out no matter any level of leader you are. If we continue with business as usual, our chances of development within the committee of nations will be very slim. We have to do things differently in Nigeria for us to get things right. If we do this, we will be reckoned with globally. But if we fail, the world will leave us behind. As a leader, you must be ready to Give, or get others to Give (delegate). And if you cannot do either of the two, you must Get out. If we don’t have them, we are deceiving ourselves. God has given Nigeria what it needs. But we will get there if we apply the three Gs,” he stated.  

The former president stated that though the country had diversified ethic groups, the problem the nation had with diversity was lack of management which brought nepotism, favouritism and others into the polity, adding that diversity in the country’s ethnicity must not hinder equal treatment for all since everyone is citizens of the country.