2019: Falae Meets With Obasanjo In Abeokuta, Says Buhari Has Failed

Obasanjo and Falae, others shortly after their closed-door meeting

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae and a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, SDP has rated the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration low saying the President has failed.

Falae disclosed shortly after he emerged from a closed door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

He said, “You know and I know that the present government has not done well. The primary responsibility of government is to protect the lives of its citizens. This government is not doing so. People continued to be killed and slaughtered every night and any government that cannot stop that has failed.

“President Buhari is my friend. Once upon a time, you will recall that I raised his hand at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan, asking people to vote for him because he said he would restructure Nigeria. So, it is not a personal matter.

“The truth of the matter is that he has not done well and I was hoping that he himself would look at the situation as a very honest and right thinking person and did himself and us a favour by saying that in the light of what had happened and giving the state of affairs, he was not going to contest. That’s what I thought he would do but he didn’t do so.”

Falae, who’s the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, while talking about a possible alliance with the Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement, said every right thinking Nigerians would support such collaboration in order to achieve a progressive change in the country.

He said, “I am sure that most, if not all  right thinking Nigerians, would see the need for all of us to work together to ensure that there is a good, beneficial, peaceful and progressive change in Nigeria.

“We want a change from massive unemployment which we have now; a change from continuous harassment and killings by Fulani herdsmen; and a change from the fear and threat of Boko Haram.

“We want a change from a situation where farmers are afraid to go to their farms; a change from the riots that are all over the place because of frustration and loss of hope and a change from the present situation of depression and failure to revive the economy of Nigeria.”

He said that most Nigerians were united in wanting a change for the better, and “in doing whatever is possible to ease out President Buhari for his own sake and for the sake of Nigeria.”

Falae, who said he was a Permanent Secretary at the state house while Obasanjo was his boss as a military Head of State, explained that he came to discuss Nigeria’s affairs with the ex-President.

He said, “I am here to visit Papa Olusegun Obasanjo…to exchange views with him to see whether we can make any contribution towards the elimination of the threat that we are now facing.

“What I am taking away from here is a confirmation on the fact that most Nigerians are united in wanting a change for the better and in doing whatever is possible to ease out President Buhari for his own sake and for the sake of Nigeria.”