Why I Refused Osita Chidoka’s Push For His Friend To Succeed Me –Obasanjo

Would you know that former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka was actually pushing for a friend of his to succeed former president, Olusegun Obasanjo?

And would you also know why the latter refused to yield to such pressure?

Well, attendees at the second edition of the annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform, where Chidoka was keynote speaker, got the benefit of the doubt.

There, Chief Obasanjo spilled the beans, to the effect that Chidoka, had recommended former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) who later became Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nasir El-Rufai to be his successor, but that he refused.

“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said, and added:

“I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needed to mature. You remember?

“When I left the government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”

Earlier, Chidoka had stated that:

READ ALSO: How I Begged Abacha To Spare Obasanjo’s Life -Gowon

READ ALSO: Obasanjo Responds To Those Spreading His Death Rumour

“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind. Moral conviction must translate into the everyday machinery of governance rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult.

“Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to

“We must therefore make leadership accountable not to rhetoric but to results: measure by building national dashboards and accountability systems that track every promise, every budget, every outcome. Monitor by strengthening the institutions that evaluate government performance and expose complacency”, he said.

The Eagle reports that Osita Chidoka, had before the political positions, led the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) where he left outstanding credentials.