Maverick Politician and Businessman,
Chief Kenny Martins, has debunked claims by former President, Goodluck
Jonathan, that he conceded defeat to the incumbent President, Muhammadu
Buhari, not out of compulsion, but for his conviction that it was the
right path to take.
Martins, who made this known to
Saturday Sun, revealed that, the need for Jonathan to surrender if
defeated at the polls; as well as his quiet and peaceful exit, was
discussed and resolved in the presence of the General Overseers of the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and the Living
Faith Church Bishop, Oyedepo.
The revelation, is coming at a time when Jonathan had during a recent graduation ceremony at Bingham University, in Nasarawa State, said, “Let me make it clear, that I was not persuaded to do so (concede defeat) by anyone within, or outside the country. I knew it was the right thing to do”.
The revelation, is coming at a time when Jonathan had during a recent graduation ceremony at Bingham University, in Nasarawa State, said, “Let me make it clear, that I was not persuaded to do so (concede defeat) by anyone within, or outside the country. I knew it was the right thing to do”.
However, Martins not confortable with
Jonathan’s statement, despite been an in-law, and also an ally to
ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, gave a rare insight into a ‘secret
meeting’ at the former military leaders Hilltop mansion, at Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
He narrated: “In December 2014, I went to meet former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in Ibogun, Ogun State.
“It was a festival day for Ibogun Town;
the ceremony was on, and I went and sat next to him. I told him there
was a problem; he said what is the problem? I told him: “Sir, election
is coming, and if Buhari wins, people believe that Niger Delta militants
would not allow him to take over, and there would be bloodshed.
“If Jonathan wins, people believe that the Northern extremists of whatever hue, would not allow him, and there would be bloodshed.
“If Jonathan wins, people believe that the Northern extremists of whatever hue, would not allow him, and there would be bloodshed.
“Either way, those two candidates are already captives of their extreme followers, who are willing to waste the country.
“Sir, the country believes that you are
the one who brought the two of them, so when the bloodletting starts,
before they go for anybody, they are going to come for you first.”
In a reply, he said Obasanjo shouted, “Shut up, what have I done?”
I said: “Everybody believes that you are
the one who runs this country; they believe you are the cause of the
problem, and I am just telling you that there is something you need to
do.”
Obsanjo according to him, replying again said, “What do I need to do?” I said: “Sir, see General Babangida, he is there in Minna, everybody knows that he is a member of PDP, but everybody knows that he is also a member of APC.
Obsanjo according to him, replying again said, “What do I need to do?” I said: “Sir, see General Babangida, he is there in Minna, everybody knows that he is a member of PDP, but everybody knows that he is also a member of APC.
“He is standing with two legs on both
sides. The other day, General Buhari was going to hold his campaign in
Minna and Chief Servant, the Governor, said they can’t give him the
stadium, General Babangida told Buhari, please come and use my golf
course, go ahead with the campaign.
“So, you are just on one side of the APC, and when this problem comes, and for Nigeria to scale this problem, we need the likes of yourself, Babangida, even the Danjumas of this world, to hold this country properly, so that there will be no wahala. So, you yourself must be seen to be on both sides.”
“So, you are just on one side of the APC, and when this problem comes, and for Nigeria to scale this problem, we need the likes of yourself, Babangida, even the Danjumas of this world, to hold this country properly, so that there will be no wahala. So, you yourself must be seen to be on both sides.”
Again, he said Obasanjo replied, “But I
am not a member of PDP.” I said: “Nobody said you are a member of PDP,
but you should make up with Jonathan.”
“How?” Obasanjo asked, although he said,
Jonathan did not send him to advocate on his behalf, but I told him:
“The man said he wants to see you, so you should see him as the
President, and assure him that both of you don’t have any issues. If you
win, I will support you; but for God’s sake, if you lose, just go
quietly.
“And call Buhari who is already on your side, and tell him if you win, we take over, but if you lose, lets’ go home; let’s not listen to anybody saying we should cause wahala.”
“And call Buhari who is already on your side, and tell him if you win, we take over, but if you lose, lets’ go home; let’s not listen to anybody saying we should cause wahala.”
I said: “It’s what you have to do, so
that you can join forces with other people to ensure that either way,
there would be peace, because all of you are speaking with one voice.”
He (OBJ) said: “Ok, Kenny, tell him I
will see him anywhere he chooses.” I said: “No sir, you won’t see him
where he chooses; he will come to your house.”
He said: “Come to my house for what?” I
told him, is it because both of them had not been speaking for years? I
said: “The man will come to your house.”
“Jonathan had not told me he was going to come to his house. He said “okay.”
“At that time, the then Chairman of Federal Road Management Agency, FERMA, Engineer Jide Adeniyi, was one man who reached Jonathan readily, so I told Obasanjo, now that he has given his consent, I would talk to Jide.
“At that time, the then Chairman of Federal Road Management Agency, FERMA, Engineer Jide Adeniyi, was one man who reached Jonathan readily, so I told Obasanjo, now that he has given his consent, I would talk to Jide.
“So, this was how we presented the case
to Jonathan, that Obasanjo wants to see him in his house, and the
business was to talk peace.
“So, a date was fixed a couple of weeks
later, and the meeting held. Obasanjo, because of his personal
relationship with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church
of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, invited him to come for the meeting.
Jonathan, surprisingly, emerged at the meeting with Bishop David
Oyedepo, Winners Chapel General Overseer.
“I think there was also one person, but I can’t remember who it was. So, the five of them now went into a meeting, and the essence of that meeting, was what I have told you; If you win, I will raise up your hand and congratulate you as the President, but if you lose, please go, for the sake of Nigeria.
“It is only God who knows why Obasanjo should bring Adeboye, and why Jonathan, without consulting Obasanjo, should bring Oyedepo.
“I think there was also one person, but I can’t remember who it was. So, the five of them now went into a meeting, and the essence of that meeting, was what I have told you; If you win, I will raise up your hand and congratulate you as the President, but if you lose, please go, for the sake of Nigeria.
“It is only God who knows why Obasanjo should bring Adeboye, and why Jonathan, without consulting Obasanjo, should bring Oyedepo.
“You can see that at that meeting, God was seated where the decision was brokered, that whoever loses should go.
“And none of these people you are
mentioning, were privy to what happened; it has nothing to do with
America or Obama, it was only God who did it for Nigeria, with the help
of these men mentioned above.
“So, it was therefore easy for Jonathan to concede defeat, and congratulate Buhari. While others were waiting and expecting that the results would be announced, which may not favour him, and were already thinking of what to do if they didn’t win, the man quietly picked his phone privately, congratulated Buhari, and came back and sat with them watching the TV, until they started hearing that he had congratulated Buhari.
“That was how God wrested Nigeria from the crisis which had sent almost all expatriates out of Nigeria.
“So, it was therefore easy for Jonathan to concede defeat, and congratulate Buhari. While others were waiting and expecting that the results would be announced, which may not favour him, and were already thinking of what to do if they didn’t win, the man quietly picked his phone privately, congratulated Buhari, and came back and sat with them watching the TV, until they started hearing that he had congratulated Buhari.
“That was how God wrested Nigeria from the crisis which had sent almost all expatriates out of Nigeria.
“So many Nigerians had escaped for abroad. Some ran to even Ghana and Cotonou, waiting for the time when the bombings would end.
“And whatever remained, they would come
and meet. It was a Nigerian homegrown content, and it was a homegrown
solution that solved the problem”, Martins said.
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