People hold very strong, contradictory opinions on the performance of our current president, retired general Olusegun Obasanjo. What do you think? Does he deserve a pass mark, at least? Do you think there are people who would do better? I've opened a poll; let's settle this with a vote!

well i would not say tht the pres has done a good job. he did promise a lot of things but i hardly saw anything being done!!. it is not only saying but it is d doing tht counts. so no i will say tht he did and has not done a good job for someone tht has been in power for tht long.

I give him (Obasanjo) only 20%. Nothing more. He would have scored lower if not for the telecommunication sector that he successfully tackled. For other sectors of the economy, all I hear are fine speeches and no buttressing action.

I think he's done pretty well. He's the first Nigerian president I actually enjoy listening to! THe only other political figure that doesn't put me to sleep if former president Bill Clinton of the US, so you can imagine how highly I rate Rtd. General Obasanjo!

I would rather not vote - I don't know what to say of him. However I can't help wondering if he is even interested inthe welfare of NIgeria at all - I believe he's done more for Africa than for Nigeria. Whenever there's a crisis in an African country, you'll see him actively involved, while he doesn't seem to care about what's going on here.

Another thing we must note: he is an elderly man. As people grow older they start thinking thoughts like "what legacy will I leave behind" or "what will future generations think about me". In terms of having money, he is making enough for himself and his family.

So I think his efforts are pretty sincere, and as a smart man they willl be pretty effective.

[color=Blue][/color] As far as am concerned, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has done pretty good, especially during his second tenure.
Corruption as eaten deep in our policians. He is the firt President of this country that would sack a serving minister on basis/allegation of corruption. To me I scored him high.

Iwill give the president 45%, 25% for his recent action against bribery and corruption and 20% for making GSM operation a reality. All the same, the poverty level have increased instead of reducing in the face of this oil boom we are experiencing under his regime.

Ok, so he is an old man an he is thinking of what legacy he ought to leave behind! Screw that! If he has decided to take up a responsibility, he ought to live up to the expectations. I think it is all bull when people try to make excuses for someone. Whether he is old or not, he knew what challenges he would face and he knew what would be expected of him when he decided to run for president. I mean, even if he is old, he could delegate the work to younger officers.

Anyhow, I still do not feel that he did what was worth the term he was put in power. I mean it is not so difficult to run a country. I mean of course there are financial and racial issues, but please do not tell me that Nigeria is poor!. Hell no, she is swiming in wealth! It is just that there is too much corruption and greed for people to let the country grow. They all want successs for themselves; they do not know that it is in the country growing together that you even benefit more. Just once you have got the right formular to go bout it.

I mean, yeah, there are lots of obstacles but if he really wanted to do some thing, he could have made progress. but that all depends on what his main agenda for running for president was for in the first place. If you take up a responsibility, live up to it else.

Chigsy,

I think you misunderstood my point. My point is that, as an older person, he is more likely to be sincere than a younger person!

Seun Osewa

My rating for OBJ's performance/achievements as a president are way above average. Like most people, my arguments against his government were the lack of relief measures for the common man. The fact that there are no exceptional physical evidences or evident improvement to basic and social amenities were also included on my list of points against him and his administration. It took me a while and endless discussions with fellow politically passionate Nigerians to realise that my line of thought was somewhat parochial. That it is one thing to have good intentions and another for your fellow leaders and followers to see your vision and run with it alongside you. Our leadership is full of ‘sabotagers’ (if there is any such word). We all know our country and the kind of people in power, the same vicious cycle that has been in leadership for ever. Power corrupts, they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The people in power stand to gain much less than they currently do in terms of material, stupendous material wealth and power/authority were the country to be better than this and favourable policies implemented.

To cut my tirade short, yes, OBJ is indeed contributing brilliantly (all the more applaudable are his efforts to achieve this even in the naked face of diverse oppositions and antagonism, some known to the public but the majority behind and within the corridors of power) to re-build this nation or at the very least to lay a better foundation on which the next generation can erect a great and admirable structure. Whether or not the said next generation or the so-called leaders of tomorrow are up to the daunting task remains to be seen.

I don't think I want to rate him. He's done one good thing in the area of telecommunications, fine! He's also currently fighting corruption, good!

If you ask me, he is more of an "airborn" president! Just like Blackweaver said, he's gone about more for Africa than for his own beloved country.

Ibrahim privately wrote:[list]
[li]"Our president, Retired. General Olusegun Obasanjo is working assiduously through the fighting of corruption in our country. President Obasanjo is been accused in the first place for poor performance and ineffectiveness of leadership.This happened during the petroleum price hike in Nigeria.[/li][li]"The president left the country for peace reconciliation in another country at the time we really need him to settle the Nigeria Labour Congress strike action, the first one of which lasted for nine good days. The hike in petroleum product became a tremendous '[I]wahala[/I]' in Nigeria."[/li][li]"Presently, my support for Obasanjo is the total war against corruption."[/li][/list]

We have to bear in mind that the decadence and corruption plus sabotage in our system have eaten so deep into government and leadership. It will take years of thorough scrubbing to clean the debris and erase the marks, if ever. Now for one man to attempt to start that process is fantastic, in my opinion. The journey of a million years starts with the very first step, which is what I strongly believe OBJ is taking, the first few steps. I throw my weight behind him, for all it's worth.

I disagree with those who are hailing Uncle Sege for his anti-corruption bid because, I believe he is not sincere. even if he is, then he is one-sided.

Afterall, there are people who have taken more than N55 million. Like Obasanjo who acquired hectares of lands, all in the name of 'Land Use Decree', and people like Abdulsalam, who became a Trillionaire in just about 10 months. And IBB, and so many others. Even the only known criminal who Uncle hides and helps in committing atrocities.

Very Poor...I must say.

It must be given to him that he has allowed the few women (particularly the igbo women) to bring out their best which is what has brought the few areas of success that can be attributed to him.

On 'every' other front he has been a failure.

Well I am not in Nigeria to be able to see the thing that this guy has done, But I must commend him for the telecoms and war against corruption. He is the only president that has ever tackle this issue. so in my pool he rate more than average

With OBJ's committment, Nigeria is getting rid of the daggers of debt. Although inflation is high, other macro economics seem to be going in the right direction. I expect that there will be real economic growth next year.

For even daring to touch the untouchables and fight corruption in nigeria, I give him 65%. This singular legacy is enough to make me vote him as the best nigerian president in recent years. Things have never been so good in our country in terms of fighting corruption. Unfortunatly, a few who have benefitted from the corrupt system of the past are crying foul. But we alongside Obj shall win this one in Jesus' name!!!

OBJ has some good scores: To start, he liberalised the telecoms sector which brought GSM. He also ensured that fuel scarcity became a thing of the past. The minimum wage and improving workers salaries and then the anti corruption war. Also, he worked had to settle the paris club and put our external reserve to a fair figure. For these, I score him 30%. He has also been able to get Nigeria out of the record as being the most corrupt country to something better. His reforms are in line with the IMF/World Bank. He and his economic team got the banks recapitalised. NAFDAC is doing a fine job and fake drugs are losing ground.

OBJ has some bad scores: His reforms are aimed at selling up public corporations to the private sector so that private people can run it, the truth is that OBJ and his co-horts are gradually buying up Nigeria. He increased the pump price of fuel 5 times from N11 of Abacha days causing unbearable inflation to us all. He has refused to fix or build a new refinery because private investors would not buy and sell at the present prices thus making us import refined fuel. He ordered the killing of an entire community because of youth restiveness in that land. He has no respect for the courts and his corruption campaign is selective meaning it is unjust. He keeps retrenching railway workers and wants to scrap the pension system. He made sure the NLC got crippled by manipulating the N.Assy to pass the labour law which baned strike. Overall, the economy is in shambles as 60% of the pple live on less than $5 per day. All our systems have become decorative (postal, transport-no rail, education-decaying). He put a lot of money into NEPA and till today, electricity supply in Lagos is less than 30% of a full day and some days with total black out. The list of his mismanagement is exhaustive. He also loves to fly. He spent 1095 days of the first 1460 days abroad. He is also a bad politician. Audu Ogbeh wrote him a letter which was very touching and immediately he axed his party chairman only to become their life leader. He also does not like or tolerate dissent or free press. He ordered the shutdown of AIT. Had 2 journalist arested for a law which is inexistent in Nairaland. OBJ also ceded our God given Bakasi peninsula and other lands to common Cameroun.

On the bad areas, he scores a whooping 95%.

He is also very corrupt: He owns majority shares in transcorp. He did not declare his assets before becoming president in 1999 and awarded several frivolous contracts during the COJA events, Many Nigerians believe he is fighting corruption and have forgotten he has not been able to probe IBB. Anyway Crocodiles do not eat crocodiles.

Overall we were better than when he met us on the scale that we pay more for everything now than we used to before he got on board. We used to win football events as well but now, we only lose to Angola and not go to the world cup.

To me OBJ didnt bring the GSM from what I know but executed it, anyway he tried in that area. The only thing OBJ did or has is He has best cabinet ever, a cabinte that has not done much becuase of his interests. Look at the following, we fought military over education privatization he does it freely noone challenged him, Health too bad, Roads terrible, Security worse ever, Food- you wont believe people die of hunger, Economy dwindling, Most corrupt regime ever, Disregard for rule of law, Unemployment worse, Transportation zero,
Aviation highest number of plane crashes ever in d history of Nigeria, I dont know of any basis we will credit him, only on EFCC which has done a good work, thats d only if only the Commission will follow due process, I know soon he will regret ever establishing EFCC becuase he will go back to where he bleongs thats Bauchi Prision. No aplogies pls.

40%

  well what i want to say now is the truth nothing but the truth,who do you think can perform better among all the contestant who are spearing the post :PERSIDENTin 2007,i can't see any one.am not saying Obasanjo is the best president that we ever produce,no but the PEOPLE WITH GOOD INTENTION ARE NOT COMING OUT.the obsion on the table is that we should please vote  wisely in 2007.Mr Pres has really tried but he can do better.
see internationally this guy has redeem our image ,but the issue of corruption can be eradicated totally if Mr Pres will allwed the medial 2 do their work.let us be praying for Nigeria concerning 2007
He is not saint but he needs prayer so that he will not do like Babagida-Abiola.SO THE RIGTH PERSON WILL BE OUR PRESIDENT COME 07
we need to pray for nigeria before 2007 ELECTION!!!!!!!!!

Crappy performance

Seun:
People hold very strong, contradictory opinions on the performance of our current president, retired general Olusegun Obasanjo. What do you think? Does he deserve a pass mark, at least? Do you think there are people who would do better? I've opened a poll; let's settle this with a vote!

hmmmmmm m almost dere sha i want to see d first post on nairaland

Seun:
I think he's done pretty well. He's the first Nigerian president I actually enjoy listening to! THe only other political figure that doesn't put me to sleep if former president Bill Clinton of the US, so you can imagine how highly I rate Rtd. General Obasanjo!

O wish this thread can be reaurectes so that people especially those that commented on this your thread, can come back compare the performance of OBJ to his successors. Maybe they would realise he is one of the best presidents this country ever had.

Seun:
I think he's done pretty well. He's the first Nigerian president I actually enjoy listening to! THe only other political figure that doesn't put me to sleep if former president Bill Clinton of the US, so you can imagine how highly I rate Rtd. General Obasanjo!

Oh I wish this thread can be reaurectes so that people especially those that commented on this your thread, can come back compare the performance of OBJ to his successors. Maybe they would realise he is one of the best presidents this country ever had.

Seun:
I think he's done pretty well. He's the first Nigerian president I actually enjoy listening to! THe only other political figure that doesn't put me to sleep if former president Bill Clinton of the US, so you can imagine how highly I rate Rtd. General Obasanjo!

Oh I wish this thread can be resurrected so that people especially those that commented on this your thread, can come back and compare the performance of OBJ to his successors. Maybe they would realise he is one of the best presidents this country ever had.

Seun:
People hold very strong, contradictory opinions on the performance of our current president, retired general Olusegun Obasanjo. What do you think? Does he deserve a pass mark, at least? Do you think there are people who would do better? I've opened a poll; let's settle this with a vote!

he failed

Obasanjo is a true Nigeria, a de-tribalized man he is. He also has a big ego which he expects to be massaged by all. The economy blossomed during his time, but he did several things that messed up the country big time.
He destroyed local governments by handing them over to the governors
He destroyed our electoral system, it was during his time that results were written in a room somewhere and announced
The Bakassi Penisula thing. Just to maintain his good international image
the lawlessness in our political system
Introduction of elite socialism
The guy tried to come back for a third term

blast from the past