President Jonathan didn’t believe Chibok schoolgirls were abducted - Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said President Goodluck Jonathan’s failure to immediately order the rescue of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, spoilt the chances of rescuing them.

According to Obasanjo, the President did not believe the pupils were truly abducted until after 18 days.

“On the kidnapping or abduction, the President did not believe that those girls were abducted for almost 18 days. If the President got the information within 12 hours of the act and he reacted immediately, I believe those girls would have been rescued within 24 hours, maximum, 48 hours.

“Don’t forget, they are almost 300 girls. The logistics of moving them is something (delay the sect wouldhave encountered). Unfortunately, the President had doubts; ‘Is thistrue? Is this a ploy by some people who don’t want me to be President again, who is doing this?’

“I think that was unfortunate aspect of the whole exercise or situation.” Obasanjo said in an interview with Bloomberg TV, which was aired on Saturday.

When asked to comment on the performance of Jonathan, whose candidacy he supported, Obasanjo said Jonathan had performed below the expectations of Nigerians.

“It is not about disappointment; I
don’t believe he has performed upto the expectations of many Nigerians, not just me,” he stated.

While he disagreed that he ‘helped’ Jonathan to thepresidency, he said it was God whomade him president. He, however, said people could be instrumentalto one’s achievements.

Obasanjo added, “I always tell the President himself; ‘if God doesn’t want you to be there, you won’t bethere.’ On instrumentality of people, yes, because God wants him to be there. But having been there, you have to perform. That is what I believe. When you get there, no matter how, just perform and keep on performing.”