Obasanjo And Atiku War: Fasawe Arrest – Too Close To Call!

by Jonathan Elendu and Sowore Omoyele

The feud between Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Abubakar Atiku is in its final stages. The Titans have marshaled their arsenals in waiting. The first casualty of this phase is Otunba Johnson Oyewole Fasawe, a personal friend of Pres. Obasanjo, up until about four months ago.

Elendureports.com spoke to very reliable sources at the Presidency. Our sources confirmed that the recent arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of Otunba Fasawe is a preemptive strike by the President. Vice President Atiku’s camp had counted on using Otunba Fasawe as an ace in their fight against the President. Sources revealed to Elendureports.com that the Vice President and his people were planning to use Otunba’s business dealings, especially during the privatization process, to embarrass the President. To achieve this, documents have been compiled. These documents would reveal that Otunba Fasawe, who is generally regarded as the President’s front man, was heavily involved in corrupt practices which characterized the privatization process, allocation of oil blocks, and other deals.

Security reports and other sources provided the President with Atiku’s game plan. Knowing that Otunba Fasawe was Atiku’s ace, the President, in a manner reminiscent of a military operation, went on a counter offensive. According to our sources, by this preemptive move, the President is turning a deficit into gains. Otunba Johnson Fasawe and Pres. Obasanjo were so close that sometimes he played the role of the President’s personal treasurer.

Elendureports.com was informed that the Otunba sat closest to the President in the Presidential limousine every time they went out. It was he, who took care of expenses arising from some of the President’s personal past time. People who work at Aso Rock or who are very close to the Presidency were aware of the Otunba’s closeness to the President. Otunba Fasawe operated from the fifty-room Aguda house for months. This high-brow government guest house was the Otunba’s residence, as well as his office in Abuja.

In a previous story, Elendureports.com had exclusively reported a meeting between Pres. Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku. It was at this meeting which took place about four months ago that the President confronted Vice President Atiku with what the President thought was overwhelming evidence of corruption on the part of the Vice President. The President was hoping that Atiku would offer to exit honorably. Instead the Vice President made it clear to the President that he would not resign but would rather fight. It was at this juncture that the Vice President clued the President into his strategy. He told the President he was also complicit in the corrupt practices of the Presidency. Flabbergasted, the President asked for explanations. That was when Otunba Fasawe came into the picture. The Otunba, instead of falling on his sword, gave the President up and admitted that he had been collecting bribes on behalf of Obasanjo. The President was so infuriated that he ordered his pal, the Otunba, out of his sight and subsequently banished him from the Presidency.

Our sources confirm that the President was not only angry at Otunba Fasawe for engaging in corrupt practices, but was also upset that the Otunba did not make complete ‘returns’ on all the largesse that he collected on behalf of the President. Apparently, the Otunba had kept a large part of the ‘returns’ for himself. This betrayal was too much for the President to handle.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, according to our sources, is still hoping that Vice President Atiku will tow the path of honor and resign. However, the President is not holding his breath while waiting. The call on Atiku to resign by presidential candidate and retired army general, Buba Marwa, is part of the President’s game plan of forcing Atiku’s hand. Elendureports.com confirmed that Marwa was recruited by the Obasanjo camp to pressure the Vice president who is from his home state of Adamawa.

Vice President Atiku, on the other hand, is fully prepared for war. In the past few days he has made utterances that have been interpreted by analysts as a signal to Obasanjo to ‘bring it on.’ In a speech last week, the Vice President said Nigeria lacked good leadership. This was a direct attack on the President. Later in the week, the Vice President told a radio station that he had personal problems with the President.

How are Nigerians reacting to this fight of the Titans? Danjuma Onuaguluchi, a businessman who operates from Lagos, told Elendureports.com, “The country is in a big mess. An American report told us Nigeria may break up in fifteen years. From what I see now, Nigeria may not last fifteen years. How can the President and the Vice President be having an ongoing confrontation on the pages of newspapers? If they can do this in public, only God knows what goes on behind closed doors. We may not have fifteen years as a country!”

We asked some of our sources at the Presidency where they believe this feud might be headed. One replied, “The President will move heavily against Atiku. It is only a matter of time. The Vice President knows it.” Another source informed Elendureports.com that the Vice President has vowed to expose all of Obasanjo’s corrupt practices if the President moves against him. Is Nigeria at the edge of a very precarious bank, yet? You bet!




Email: jonathan@elendureports.com

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9 comments

Jonathan Dick September 8, 2006 - 7:31 am

It's too secondary and based on hearsay, try doing some original research for a change

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Anonymous January 8, 2006 - 9:25 am

together we stand, divided we fall

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Anonymous October 13, 2005 - 6:49 am

exposure of corrupt practices of our leaders.They are all dirty politicians who are only interested in their private pockets. None of them should be allowed to take part in 2007 general elction as the best solution. They are nothing but a bunch of old cargoes.KOLA EKEFA – LONDON.

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Anonymous October 5, 2005 - 5:07 am

this is a very good job but i dont believe its the bestso try more

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Anonymous October 5, 2005 - 1:06 am

the style of reporting is story-book like and very amateurish

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Lekan September 28, 2005 - 1:41 pm

Im in absolute agreement with the writer of comment number 3. For Gods sakethese young chaps..Elendu and Sowore are trying to turn otherwise respectable internet web sites into gossip rag journals such as Fame Encomiums etc with their junk journalism.

They are more interested in playing to the gallery with their rabid sensational stories. Their stories are never short of dem say anonymous sources reports that have no way in a serious news reporting environment like the United States. When are they going to grow up! And for how long will they be carrying their youthful exuberance too far!

If they are serious in their objective for exposing corruption i our nation they should do what serious journalists do and that means before rushing to publish they should first get to the roots of their stories by giving us first-hand facts from the horses mouths instead of dem say! Althernatively they can furnish necessary documents to back up their claims. Otherwise they should just tell us that they are only interested in a cheap 15 minute fame!

And another word of advise they should bear in mind that its not only gullible starry-eyed college boys and girls that are reading articles on these Internet web sites!

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Anonymous September 27, 2005 - 4:17 pm

Good speculative job! Excellent contribution to the V.P's "rickety" P.R. Machinery! DSP is held abroad for the same offence as V.P Atiku. His excuse is that the Presidency was after him.Atiku is at home enjoying his office because "gaomont money they find am for gaomont house" (Barkin Zuwo)We rejected DSP's excuse and these writers are trying to sell a "feud" to readers. Is it because Northerners are sacred cows Do you want us to close the Atiku file and speedily send DSP to the gallows even though Atiku's case arose long before his own and is more serious Will the detention of Fasawe who is not a Public Officer obliterate the casefile of our V.P. with FBI Dept of Homeland Security and the IRS case against a US citizen(Jennifer) Are you not concerned with recovery of Nigeria's funds – 600 Million seized and in custody of a foreign Bank(Swiss) just as you helped us locate Jennifer in Lagos when she was missing from Potomac Are you sure your country is "in a big mess" and at the "edge of a very precarious bank" due to pursuit of loot These writers exhibit great ignorance of Nigeria's politics by speculating that it is the Presidency that recruited the "hired gun" Muhammadu Buba to force Atiku to resign.It is common knowledge that the hired gun has been after Atiku's head right from the beginning because both are competing to succeed President Obasanjo forgeting that others e.g Ndigbo are equally eligible.Even if Atiku has a case against the President he is singularly tainted by the embarassment caused Nigeria through the FBI which you guys now assure us is a "feud".If it is a "feud" then settle it but make sure the loot (Nigeria's Money) is recovered and that our V.P. can go and come to his home in US without any fear of ending up a VIP guest at Guatanamo Bay in place of Sadam.Nigerians are at work fixing their mess and don't need this kind of speculative "hired bullet" project to succeed and we are tired of this "edge of precarious Bank"/disintegration story which is a mere figment of some people's imagination.

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prince kennedy Iyoha September 27, 2005 - 4:56 am

This is a beautiful piece of work.

And it is a relief to know that the president was not involved in the dubious art of steeling with Atiku and his cohorts.

Why the cry over the detention of Otunba Johnson Or are you of the opinion that he did the right thing

Obj was right to confront his deputy over the alleged property own in the united states and every other corrupt activity connected to the VP…

This is a good development for our democracy. Nigerians should know what is happening inside the Asorock and should go to the street to demand the resignation of the vice-president and every other person involved if necessary.

What you expected was that Mr President should have shot- up his mouth and pretends as if nothing happened on the wake of this hideous criminal act

This has nothing to do with the prophecy of doom from some sector of the United States intelligent .community…

You think the people of adamawa state are proud of a son that has become a stumbling block to development in Nigeria Or do you think that there are no unemployed youth in Adamawa state

I studied in the north and worked in Maiduguri in the late 80s. Have friends that were living below the accepted poverty line. Young intelligent boys that frequent brucutu joint because there is no other place to go.

Many of our northern youths also suffer the irresponsible leaderships in Nigeria like the southern youths too.

If you visit places like Kukawa Gubio Damasack Gajigana etcThis big towns in the old Borno state you will come to realise that the north suffer all irresponsible administration like the south.

The big names like danguma babangida yaradua marwa etc… Do not reflect the reality of the north but only a hand full of roughs that parade themselves as representatives of the north but do not care of the welfare of the northern youth that are crying out day after day for change in their life style.

It is painful to see children with plates in hand going from house to house begging for what to eat; they say it is the Islamic culture. This is not true because I have seen Muslims in Saudi Arabia Moroccos Algeria even in Lagos and Ibadan. They dont go from house to house begging like the alimajere in the north of Nigeria.

Important personalities like Babangida danjuma etc..etc.. Are Muslims too but their children do not go from house to house beging for food.

If we most improve if we most have a responsible government if we most eliminate hunger we need to change our way of thinking and join forces with this administration to win this war.

Honestly I dont like the way you write my friend…

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Anonymous September 26, 2005 - 10:47 am

whao – I am completely bowled over – can this be real It is the end of times my brothers sisters

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