El-Rufai's New Book: Whoever Wins, I'll Run Aso Rock From My Farm - Obasanjo


After Olusegun Obasanjo failed to secure a third term in office, he boasted that 2007 and 2011 would be a “transition period”, as he would run the affairs of the country from his Ota Farm, irrespective of the fact that there would be a sitting president.

This has been revealed in a recently published memoir of an Obasanjo confidant and former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, entitled, “”.

The book recounts that though former president Obasanjo had singlehandedly ensured that the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua succeeded him in 2007, he nevertheless planned to administer the country from his Ota Farm. He described the 2007-2011 period as a transition because all his pointsmen, including the “economic team” would remain in office.

El-Rufai recalls the former president telling him thus: “Well, nothing will change, you know. I will be in Ota but we will be running things. Everything will remain the same, you know. You will remain in the government, the economic team will remain. Nothing will change. Only I will move to Ota and Yar’Adua will be here but we will be running things.”

When el-Rufai informed Obasanjo that he intended taking at least two years’ break from government business, the former president responded: “OK, well I just thought I should call you and explain to you that the next four years is just a transition period. The real change in government will happen in 2011. Not now.”

Obasanjo begged Atiku on his knees

El-Rufai also said in his seminal book, which will be launched at 10:30am on February 7, at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, that the former president begged his deputy on “bended knees,” for his political survival.

In the 627-page book, El-Rufai said on page 151, “The stakes were high enough for Obasanjo to swallow his considerable pride and go to Atiku on bended knees.

“Obasanjo had no problem going down on his knees to beg for what he thought was impossible to obtain any other way.”

This rare and calculated display of meekness came around 2003 when Obasanjo feared he could lose the People’s Democratic Party’s re-nomination bid, if he did not make peace with Atiku.

The book recounts that faced with the possibility of losing the PDP ticket to Atiku, who had rallied all the governors on the platform of the party, the former president paid his deputy an unscheduled visit in 2003.

“The political bricksmanship got so bad that Obasanjo had to visit Atiku’s residence unannounced to plead for Atiku’s support.

Upon arriving at his deputy’s residence, he reportedly knelt before Atiku and begged the vice-president to remain onside, thus guaranteeing the support of the 17 PDP governors. In return, Obasanjo had to agree to retain Atiku as his running mate (he was rumoured at the time to be considering an alternative),” the book revealed.

In his book, el-Rufai also queries the leadership recruitment processes, noting that it is at the root of the nation’s problems, as it sacrifices merit. He said that the choosing of the late Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president and vice-president by Obasanjo was “the final nail in the coffin of any meritocracy or track record of governance in Nigeria.

“President Obasanjo chose Umaru Yar’Adua whose ill-health, among other challenges, was known already constituted a serious impediment to the possibility of any inspired and energetic leadership. The view of many well-informed Nigerians is that Yar’Adua and his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, emerged for no other discernable reasons than being ‘weak’ governors sympathetic to the ‘Third Term’ project and therefore handpicked as payback.

“The subsequent electoral imposition of Goodluck Jonathan as president in 2011 via military occupation and rigging has been unhelpful in raising leadership quality. Jonathan went into a presidential contest without a campaign manifesto, boasting of no experience, merit and any track record of previous performance other than wearing no shoes to school and his ‘good luck’.”

http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/44699/2013/01/11/bombshell_elrufais_new_book_whoever_wins_ill_run_aso_rock_my_farm_obasanjo.html

In my opinion, El-Rufai has not said anything new.

If u were nt part of d team(el rufai, ribadu, saraki, ibori & andy uba. Remeber?) dat installed d 'lobotomy' Yar'adua, inorder to 'run things' 4rm d outside, why would Obj confide in u or ws it announced on national t.v?
Everybody is writing a book these days cos there are millions of unemployed youths dat can spin cock nd bull stories arnd us to bolster d image of these failed politicians.
Yesterday it ws St Peter 'dey pay'. 2day, it's el rufai & 2moro it shall be GEJ wt 'How i transformed Nigeria'
Hero worship will kill us in ds con3!

But wait! I said wait! Was El-Rufai OBJ's personal secretary? How come he was there at every bidding of baba Iyabo. So, my baba Iyabo is now Nigeria Accidental Public Servant...abi? OK. Baba dey Kampe anytime any day..no shaking.. We all can see how relevant baba could be till his dying days...he is no push over and 'yes' he could run the affairs of the nation from his farm and what would you do about it? Yes you El-Rufai, what could you do about it.... If you are not contributing meaningfullly to the development of this country please spare me jooor..

El-rufai must be foolish to have published this. He feels nigerians will cowardly sympathise with him. If he was very close to Obj then, and knew that Obj was about to impose a weak candidate on nigerians, what effort did he make to report this fraud to Nigerians. Because he Was selfish and needed a Political appointment, he sacrificed our interest, now he complains becos he was abandoned. Fool

El Rufai can never change. He is an unrepentant liar. How can Baba kneel down for Atiku? Atiku that postrated for baba openly last November. El rufai, god puni.sh u ooo liar

Ds shd b in joke section, i guess El-Rufai was sleeping and writing together, BABA IYABO ( OBJ ) can NEVER knee down 4 Atiku.
I LOVE D MAN OBJ ( EBORA OWU )

As if I knew that GEJ will be the prime character in this book. Well at least the Malam have taken the fight beyond his cyber warfare.

Burger01: But wait! I said wait! Was El-Rufai OBJ's personal secretary? How come he was there at every bidding of baba Iyabo.

El Rufai was one of OBJ's closest aide. Why and when they fell out, is what I don't really know.

@op, I go with the guy that said, "El Rufai has not said anything new."

There is nothing here that those who follow politics in Nigeria have not heard already.

Another tale of lies from the twitter Mallam,who will convince me that El rufai is not sick in the head,a govt was part of today he has the audacity to criticise Obj,I will say that the man is so jobless to the extend that he has ran out of ideas,all he is doing now is blackmail and looking for cheap popularity on the social media.Thank God Nigerians are familiar with his lies.

This El Rufai has diarrhea of the mouth.He has forgotten that those people he's exposing now use to be his friends, when you flow along with a particular people and things turns out ugly you don't go abt revealing their secrets or some embarrassing things abt them because nobody will ever trust you no matter your intentions....El Rufai should shut his trap he was all aware that OBJ was like that yet he worked him, after all they say show me your friend and I'll tell you......complete it.

gunuvi: El Rufai can never change. He is an unrepentant liar. How can Baba kneel down for Atiku? Atiku that postrated for baba openly last November. El rufai, god puni.sh u ooo liar

Both obasanjo and Atiku are politicians and like any politician can stoop to anything to get what they want. Obj wanted to remain president and at the time Atiku could hav stopped him with the governors backing him. In fact, Atiku made a fatal political miscalculation by not edging out obj at 2003 pdp primaries, which he could hav done easily. Given the scenario then and Obj's desperation he could hav even licked Atiku's behind to appease him, not just mere playful kneeling down.

“The stakes were high enough for Obasanjo to swallow his considerable pride and go to Atiku on bended knees.

“Obasanjo had no problem going down on his knees to beg for what he thought was impossible to obtain any other way.”

“President Obasanjo chose Umaru Yar’Adua whose ill-health, among other challenges, was known already constituted a serious impediment to the possibility of any inspired and energetic leadership. The view of many well-informed Nigerians is that Yar’Adua and his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, emerged for no other discernable reasons than being ‘weak’ governors sympathetic to the ‘Third Term’ project and therefore handpicked as payback.

Truth don dey comot. But honestly El-rufai, we knew most of this things. Nigerians aint as foolish as u peops in govt think.

Idokojimmy: El-rufai must be foolish to have published this. He feels nigerians will cowardly sympathise with him. If he was very close to Obj then, and knew that Obj was about to impose a weak candidate on nigerians, what effort did he make to report this fraud to Nigerians. Because he Was selfish and needed a Political appointment, he sacrificed our interest, now he complains becos he was abandoned. Fool

When you have a broken friendship you have an avenue for information on both parties. I don't expect El-Rufa'i to make these known when the going was good. It may be late but still useful for Nigerians to know. I will certainly buy the book. It will be a good read for Nigerians.

When the late president was incapacitated,he was among those that wore t-shirt & carried placard for his vp to take over,while he was privy to all of this his info....Talk about speaking from both sides of his mouth.

usmanyaro17: Another tale of lies from the twitter Mallam,who will convince me that El rufai is not sick in the head,a govt was part of today he has the audacity to criticise Obj,I will say that the man is so jobless to the extend that he has ran out of ideas,all he is doing now is blackmail and looking for cheap popularity on the social media.Thank God Nigerians are familiar with his lies.

You have not displayed any intelligence in this post. Try again.

another book from another thief.

youngies: In my opinion, El-Rufai has not said anything new.

He is telling his own side of the story. We are waiting to hear obj's. It's even not true that el-rufai isn't saying something new - did u hear b4 that obj was on his knees begging Atiku to allow him pick the pdp 2003 presidential ticket.At least the on his knees part is brand new revelation.

youngies: In my opinion, El-Rufai has not said anything new.

Is that wot you think or what you know?

nagoma:

You have not displayed any intelligence in this post. Try again.

Continue to lick his boot,all I know that El rufai is the greatest liar in Nigeria.

first tym i dey frontpage...

vanstanzy: “The stakes were high enough for Obasanjo to swallow his considerable pride and go to Atiku on bended knees.

“Obasanjo had no problem going down on his knees to beg for what he thought was impossible to obtain any other way.”

“President Obasanjo chose Umaru Yar’Adua whose ill-health, among other challenges, was known already constituted a serious impediment to the possibility of any inspired and energetic leadership. The view of many well-informed Nigerians is that Yar’Adua and his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, emerged for no other discernable reasons than being ‘weak’ governors sympathetic to the ‘Third Term’ project and therefore handpicked as payback.

Truth don dey comot. But honestly El-rufai, we knew most of this things. Nigerians aint as foolish as u peops in govt think.

Who told Nigerians aint foolish? Maybe na Jamaica u dey live...cos the Nigerians me don come across, dey more than foolish...Thats the reason these Cowards takes us for a ride... Imagine Elrufai spewing rubbish like say hin better...

ole oshi

I no blame Elrufai at all... If you check the Auto-correct of hin name (Elrufai) na Failure you go see..So what do you expect from someone like that?

See sycophants displaying total ignorance. Na el rufai get him book. Obasanjo is still alive. Let him refute all the allegations before you make ur perceived moronic judgements

criticism everywhere, who will save nigeria

youngies: In my opinion, El-Rufai has not said anything new.

TRUE!

usmanyaro17: Continue to lick his boot,all I know that El rufai is the greatest liar in Nigeria.

By what standards? You are actually getting worse - what's your problem?

mu2sa2: He is telling his own side of the story. We are waiting to hear obj's. It's even not true that el-rufai isn't saying something new - did u hear b4 that obj was on his knees begging Atiku to allow him pick the pdp 2003 presidential ticket.At least the on his knees part is brand new revelation.

My brother, that OBJ was on his knees is no longer news....what is news however, is that the criminal El rufai who was an insider is saying it publicly