PDP Chieftain Wants Obasanjo Quizzed Over Allegations

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 18, (THEWILL) - The security agencies in the country have been called upon to invite former President Olusegun Obasanjo for questioning over his claim that the Federal Government was training snipers to be used to attack 1000 persons on political watch list ahead of 2015 general elections. A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State and member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday while reacting to the allegations made by Obasanjo in the controversial letter. Agbonayinma said the allegation was very weighty and capable of creating panic in the country. 'The Presidency must not allow former President Olusegun Obasanjo to enjoy the luxury of making such sensitive and weighty allegation that has implications for security of lives and move on as if he has offered a noble public service. 'Obasanjo should be invited to provide useful information about his training of snipers claim, where they are being trained and the 1000 persons on the presidency watch list because, to me, the claim appears tendentious, mischievous and inciting. 'I have not forgotten the Obasanjo years when real and perceived political opponents were taken out in a series of assassination incidents in which the killers have not, up till now, been apprehended. ' As of today, the killers of Chief Bola Ige, who served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Obasanjo's government, who was murdered in his Ibadan home, are yet to be arrested. 'Was it not under the Obasanjo administration that yet-to-be-apprehended gunmen killed Chief Marshal Harry, a one-time South-south leader of the PDP, who later moved to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to support General Muhammadu Buhari's presidential ambition in 2003? ' What of another South-south PDP leader, Chief Aminasori Kala Dikibo, who was also killed on his way from Port-Harcourt to Delta for a party meeting?,'the statement said. He said some Nigerians would still remember how gunmen stormed the Maitama, Abuja private residence of the late Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Chairman, Chief Sunday Awoniyi,  in a bid to silence him for his criticisms of the Obasanjo administration. Agbonayinma stated: 'There were many other instances of unresolved killings and even genocides perpetrated under the Obasanjo administration. 'I have not forgotten what happened in Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State. ' The Odi and Zaki Biam massacres were state sponsored. They were obviously more than snipers' assaults. 'In fact, the only way to know whether Obasanjo's claim is unfounded is to interrogate the claimant and his claim. ' He should be invited by relevant security agencies to validate his claim in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians and his claim, of found to be untrue, would amount to treason.' He said the interrogation would help all to know 'what exactly is cooking or what is on the ground in relation to the alarm raised by Obasanjo', adding  'I insist that the only way to get to the bottom of this claim is question the former president whom I believe is not above the law or greater than the nation.'