Should Obasanjo be allowed to stay?

[Richard Akindele]

Obasanjo has been under the radar lately on his quest for a third term. Without a doubt, the third term debate is the number one bone of contention.

Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, and apart from a few positive leadership, it's been a disaster after another from one president to the next. The end result being that Nigeria has been ruined economically.

As much money as that country has earned from oil, and with how smart Nigerians are, we should be among the developed nations today. Sadly, mismanagement of our resources, and the negative mindset of the people has taken its toll. A poor country like Ghana with no oil is doing as well as, if not better than Nigeria.

Although a little too late in the game, Obasanjo has started to show signs of revitalizing the nation's economy. No matter what you think of Obasanjo, his success in paying off a $30 billion debt is highly commendable. No other president has even made the attempt. Now, not only is the debt paid off, we also are relieved of the burden of servicing the loan. The interest can now be spent on other areas.

Furthermore, Obasanjo seems to be probing into many areas, asking questions and demanding accountability. Some say he's just going after his antagonists.

If you know anything at all about Nigeria, you know that there is no continuity in agendas. Once one president conpletes his term, the next president wipes the slate clean, and institutes his own agenda. This is very counter productive for the nation's progress.

In view of these positive developments we're seeing from Obasanjo, do you think Nigeria should give his third term agenda a chance?

Would you rather have a president that is showing interest in moving the nation forward, or gamble on a new president that could send us back another century?