February 20, 2OO4

President Olusegun Obasanjo, Aso Rock, Abuja .

THREAT TO ASSASSINATE ME

I write this letter with a heavy heart, but with strong spirits. This letter for sure is quite different from any other letters I had written to you, even though it bears my trademark brutal frankness and courageousness. The issues I have raised in it could have overwhelming implications for our dear nation if not handled carefully and promptly. But before I proceed with the details, I have deemed it necessary to let Your Excellency know that I do not have any personal grudges against you or your exalted office as President. I have always held you in high esteem and have demonstrated in many practical ways my sincere friendship and camaraderie.

It is on record that I was among the early persons who worked for your emergence as President even when some of those who cluster around you today could not touch you with a long spoon. Whatever disagreements we might have had in the past were purely based on principle, and an innate conviction to speak up against anything I perceive as evil and against democratic norms and ethos.

I can be counted among the few Nigerians who stand for what is right and are ready to pay even the supreme price to defend the cause of justice. For the 57 months I have served the people of Abia State , I have shown transparency and courage in whatever I have done. Within the same period, I must have said certain things and taken certain decisions that some persons might not like because they affected their ego or self­aggrandizement. The overriding interest for whatever I have said or done is the collective progress of our nation. One of the problems of our national development is the insincerity and insensitivity of our leaders to the needs of the ordinary people whom they have been elected to serve.

Intolerance is another albatross to sustainable democracy in Nigeria today. And this has translated into the increasing cases of political brigandage and assassinations. Intolerance among the political class has assumed a more horrifying dimension with the recent assassination of the National Vice-Chairman of our great party, Chief A.K. Dikibo.

Having given Your Excellency this brief background may I now with humility draw your attention to a recent boastful and invidious revelation by the former Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih, to my deputy, Dr. Chima Nwafor, on a flight from Abuja to Owerri some time early February 2004. While on that flight Anenih had openly told my deputy that he was very bitter with me, and that plans had been concluded to deal with me the way they dealt with Bola Ige. My deputy was taken aback by the effrontery of Anenih.

Nonetheless, I did not take Anenih’s threat lightly because of its weightiness, but my apprehension grew, particularly after receiving several threat calls on my MTN mobile phone from February till date. Unbelievably, each of these anonymous callers claimed he was calling from the Presidency.

Frankly speaking, Anenih’s threat to deal with me is not going to be treated with kid gloves considering the spate of politically-induced killings since the inception of the present civilian administration. The situation becomes more worrisome when those who committed these heinous and dastardly killings go scot-free.

Anenih’s reckless comment has gone further to buttresses what Wole Soyinka said many months ago that there was a nest of killers in PDP and  that until the nest was disbanded political killings in the country would never stop.

I am further worried because the late A.K. Dikibo complained to Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and myself at the Port Harcourt Airport three days before his brutal assassination that some powerful persons in the Presidency and a governor from one of the South-South states of the country were planning td kill him. Though he looked ruffled and agitated, we never knew his death was imminent.

However, I wish to make it absolutely clear to Anenih and his co­conspirators that Orji Kalu is neither Ige nor Dikibo who got killed like a dog. Two things account for my position. First, I know the God I serve: He has never failed to do my battles for me. I am God’s anointed, and the Bible says, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm”. Whatever I have achieved these past 30 years is attributable to my unshakable hope and trust in God. I have never been afraid even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Second₁ I am a man who does justice to all manner of people, irrespective of religion, tribe, or status. The way I have piloted the affairs of Abia State since 1999 is a pointer to ~this assertion.

In all my dealings with Your Excellency, I have shown you good faith, friendship and honesty. Those who cause disaffection between you and me are those who are today gunning for my head because I spoke the truth. Anenih and his co-travellers may claim they love you but they have always failed to tell you the truth. There is no questioning the fact that Anenih is part of whatever problem you have today. I know why Anenih is asking for my innocent head: It was because I asked that all those who collected N300 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads between 1999 and 2003 when he held office as minister of Works and Housing be arrested and prosecuted for doing a shoddy job. What was wrong with this?

I remember I told you, Sir, that Anenih was not doing the roads he claimed he was doing despite the huge releases you approved for him, but sadly you never believed me. Did events later not vindicate me? Even you, Mr. President, corroborated this much when you told the press after Anenih had vacated office that N300 billion was actually wasted on federal roads, which were either not done at all and money collected, or poorly done.

I wish to use this medium to request you to arrest Anenih and any other persons or organizations involved in this national catastrophe without further delay. How could N300 billion of taxpayers’ money get wasted while the perpetrators of the ignominious act walk the streets free? This particular case calls to question the anti-Corruption crusade of your administration. It is only by arresting Anenih and his collaborators that the international community can be convinced about the seriousness by your administration to fight corruption and other social ills that have held our nation prostrate for too long.

If you could recall what the good Lord had done for you, how he brought you out of imprisonment and near-death to make you a two-time President, then you will agree with me that you do not need people like Anenih around you. I am yet to see a person in recent times that the Lord has showered so much grace and love on as he has done on you. He did not choose you out of the millions of other qualified Nigerians to preside over the affairs of this great nation at this time because of your righteousness. Rather he chose you to bring Nigeria out of its present economic and political conundrums.

It pains my heart to observe that even though Your Excellency has tried several strategies to rebuild the economy and improve the welfare of the people, little has yet been achieved. Nigerians are suffering today more than they had done 10 years ago. While some Nigerians cannot even afford one square meal a day some others feed from the dustbins. There are no functional social amenities, and hunger is everywhere. The most disturbing is the general state of insecurity across the country, which, no doubt, scares away  prospective investors.I am sure this ugly situation causes Your Excellency sleepless nights. If it does, then why have you not done something drastic to arrest the unfortunate situation? My worry is that the way things are going our nation may be thrown into anarchy unless something is done fast to nip it in the bud.

My decision to draw your attention to Anenih’s threat was not borne out of cowardice, just as I had posited earlier. Rather it was borne out of a genuine desire to forestall an incident that has the capacity of throwing the entire nation into political turmoil. I do not think it is possible for anybody to kill me and get away with it just like that. No way. I am not even afraid to die. But if it is true they are plotting to kill me then they should get their own coffins ready because they will surely die before me. I have never wished anybody evil but whoever wishes me evil will reap whirlwind, thunder and brimstone. I know my God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

There is no hiding place for evildoers, who thrive on the sufferings of the common people. I have always spoken against the activities of these shameless, deceitful people, and this is why they are plotting to kill me. But their plot will not succeed in Jesus name.

It is important to state at this juncture, that I can never be deterred from speaking out against perceived injustices in our land because that was why I was elected to serve. Every other person may choose to keep quiet while the nation drifts away comatosely but Oji Kalu will not. Is it not regrettable and shameful that while the majority of Nigerians wallow in abject poverty and penury a few privileged Nigerians revel in their ill-gotten wealth?

I cannot fathom why the people should suffer when we have everything to make them happy. There is nothing God did not bless Nigeria with to make it great. Our failure to achieve our collective destiny is because a few greedy individuals have dubiously found their way to power. What justification do we have for our present economic instability? I do not think it morally right to allow hapless Nigerians to suffer the way they do, even in the midst of plenty. I have continually advocated the revamping of the economy in such a way as not to bring unwanted suffering on the innocent citizenry.

Yes, I have nothing against reforms by your administration per se but they should have human face. I had thought that you should have first repositioned NEPA and other similar agencies to prepare them for reforms. There is no way reforms can work when there is no steady electricity supply, no good roads, no security of life and property. If these things had been put in place before the introduction of the reforms then life would have become simpler and less burdensome for the average Nigerian.

I wish to state categorically: reforms without steady electricity supply is zero. Let us call a spade a spade.

What about unemployment? Millions of our youths roam the streets daily in search of unavailable jobs. Even the graduates among them do menial jobs to keep body and soul together. Those of them who lacked the moral strength to withstand the debasement take to the dangerous adventure of robbery.

What I had thought you should have done was to use the first four years of your tenure to tackle the problem of NEPA and use the next four years for reform. I am strongly opposed to the style and purpose for the reforms.

Having critically studied the political situation in the country I do not think that there will be any more military interregnum. Nevertheless, I foresee the people’s rebellion if our leaders continue to conduct themselves in an untoward manner. Our leaders should be careful because the people are watching.

Now that the elections are over it behooves our politicians to settle down to the business of governance. The present pettiness among politicians should give way to dedicated leadership anchored on the fear of God and love for the neighbour.

With due respect, Sir, I wish to advise you to be more statesman-like in the way you govern this nation. You should work very hard now to engrave your name in gold in this your last term because posterity will judge by the legacies you bequeath the incoming administration. I am aware that some power-drunks are goading you to seek a third term in office even when this negates the spirit of the Constitution. In my usual frank manner I advise you to spurn such advice as it smacks of treachery and foolhardiness.

I have always believed that God brought into leadership at this crucial time of our nation’s history for a specific purpose. You can only fulfill that divine obligation if you can learn to forgive easily. And when you forgive, learn also to forget.

I am writing this letter with the best of intentions and with every sense of responsibility. I have done this letter without malice or hatred. I have no bitterness in my heart whatsoever. This period of lent is a period that challenges every believer to true worship, to reconciliation, and to self-immolation.

It is my wish that you listen to this voice of reason and adopt a new spirit of service to the Nigerian people. The remaining three years can still be used to mobilize all Nigerians to help you in the arduous task of rebuilding the nation. In doing this, you need men and women of good moral standing and not scoundrels and political misfits whose only pastime is treasury looting and character assassination.

May I challenge Your Excellency to call Anenih to order, and to take immediate steps to investigate this matter with a view to ascertaining the facts. I am ready to surrender my mobile phone to the investigators to trace the source of the anonymous threat calls I have received, purportedly emanating from the Presidency.

But if Anenih or any other person for that matter tries to carry out his threat then this nation will burn to ashes. Enough is enough.

I am endorsing this letter to important world leaders like Bush, Blair, Chirac, and strategic international organizations like the UNO, AU and the Commonwealth.

Thank you, Mr. President, for the patience to go through this complaint and for your anticipated prompt response.

Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.