Jonathan failed because he refused to follow my advice- Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the failure of erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan to listen to advise was the reason he could not fulfil his promises to the country.

He specifically lambasted Jonathan for failing to generate 40,000MW of electricity, which he promised Nigerians on assumption to power.

Obasanjo stated this in Lagos on Wednesday during the launch of a book he co-authored, “Making Africa Work”.

He was reacting to a question on the reason implementation of ideas has remained a major problem in Nigeria.

He said, “The problem with governments is that they don’t want to engage in continuity. A government will be sworn in and the next thing you hear is ‘we are the first to, we will be the first to’ do this and that.

“So I do ask myself, what do these ones want to do that hasn’t been done.

“Before I left government, I formed a team and sent them to different parts of the world to understudy development of countries doing well.

“They came back, gave their report and we formed National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). We also had States and Local chapters.

“When Jonathan came in, they abandoned the programme. I was looking.

“Again, before I left, we were able to generate 4,000MW of electricity. We had laid out a plan to increase to 10,000MW in subsequent years.

“When they Jonathan came, they boasted that they will generate 40,000MW in four years. I said what! 40,000MW? Do this people even know what they are are talking about?

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“I thought I should intervene by reminding them that I left a plan that could generate 10,000MW which is more realistic.

“Then I sent someone, who I won’t disclose, to Jonathan. I said go and lecture this man. Let him know what is possible and what is not, so they don’t keep deceiving him.

“He still didn’t hear. At the end, he failed Nigerians on that promise and others he made. How many megawatts did Nigeria have when he left office. It was actually lower if you compare to what I left in 2007.”

Nigerians have continued to lament that despite over $16 billion the administration of President Obasanjo claimed it spent on power and the subsequent huge amounts spent by successive governments, power situation in the country has remained epileptic.

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