Jonathan has failed Nigerians—Falae

Rules self out of presidential race over age

Former presidential aspirant, Chief Olu Falae, has tagged the administration of President Goodluck Jon­athan, as a failure, follow­ing its alleged inability to tackle the problems plagu­ing the country.

Falae, who spoke during a press conference to unveil a mass movement of political parties, association and civil society organisations, Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA) in Abuja, however, ruled himself out of the 2015 presidential election, arguing that at 76 years, he was too old to contest.

Announcing that he would support any younger candidate vying for the position of president to upstage the incumbent, he insisted that the present government had failed Nigerians.

His words: “The current government has failed to perform and deal with the endemic problems prevalent in the country like poverty, unemployment, insecurity, insurgency etc. From one ad­ministration to the other, they are two sides of the same coin. It has been the same incompetent, culture of rigging, lack of philosophy or competent manifesto.

“So, people say, where do we go and what do we do? That was how we brought this alliance, Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA) as the alternative to lead these two non-performing parties. We have read our programmes and philosophy and back them with our track records and credibility.”

Asked why he wanted to exonerate himself from the corrupt system, the former Secretary to the Federal Government, argued: “I was part of the system but certainly not part of the corrupt system. All my life, I have stood for what is right and proper, I have stood for integrity and principle. Recall that the late Gen­eral Sani Abacha detained me for two years even when I was his colleague in the General Ibrahim Babangida military administration.

“We were practically friends but my sin was that I refused to compromise. I had told him my mind that the an­nulment of Abiola’s election was not right because he was challenging the whole Nigeri­ans that gave him the mandate.

“While I was still in detention, they offered me many things to compromise and regain my freedom, but I refused. They begged me to renounce my membership of NADECO; I refused because that was where I stood. I was part of the past but not the corrupt and unprincipled past.

“I had offered myself in 1999 to change Nigeria, they all voted, but they gave it to Olusegun Obasanjo, who messed up the country. Why did Nigerians not give it to me in 1999?” he queried rhetorically.

On whether he would be contesting in next year’s election, he replied: “I am not contesting again because I am already 76 years old. I would prefer younger persons to contest and I will certainly give them support and advice. We did not form this alliance because I want to contest.”