Chief Obasanjo made this remark while speaking at an international symposium commemorating his 85th birthday, which was hosted both virtually and physically in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
He also advised Nigerians to put the goal of constructing a Nigerian nation ahead of developing individuals who may further destabilize the country.
The former military and civilian leader said his declaration was not just a carefree talk but premised on his examination and analysis of some politicians moving around the country holding consultations, as well as those whose associates are making consultations on their behalf towards occupying the number one political office of this country.
He said, “I cast a cursory look at some of the people running around and those for whom people are running around. If EFCC and ICPC will have done their jobs properly, and were supported adequately by the judiciary, most of them would be in jail.
“Any person who has no integrity in small things cannot have integrity in big things. Fixing Nigeria must begin on the principles of nation-building, not necessarily on emotion, sentiments, euphoria, ignorance, incompetence, ethnicity, nepotism, bigotry, sectionalism, regionalism, religion or class.”
Obasanjo also denied reports that he had endorsed about three politicians from the Southern part of the country to take over from President Muhammed Buhari in 2023.
He said: “As the quadrennial madness builds a head of steam and the runners and riders crisscross the nation in the quest for nomination as the party flag bearer to the highest office in the land, I read and hear about endorsement and statements in support of candidates that I, frankly, have not made, and forming next political parties that I can never get involved in.
“I was told that social media credited to me names of three people from the South that I am sponsoring for the Presidency in 2023. My friend, Professor Ango Abdullahi, who brought this to my knowledge, remarked that he did not believe that I made such a statement because it was out of my character.
“I have neither named names, nor stated my position. In situations like the one we are in, I will not rush into naming names without necessary consultations and well-defined principles and criteria.”
Obasanjo, however, maintained that policymakers and other citizens need to clearly distinguish between “what Nigeria needs today and why Nigeria needs it. Only then can we answer the question of how that will inform us of the criteria and characteristics for determining who.
“I believe in principles before personalities; taking personalities before principles are putting the cart before the horse.”
The elder statesman further said all challenges of insecurity, corruption, and “ethnic jingoism” which have militated against the country and prevented her from attaining the desired height of nationhood will naturally disappear “if we get the issue of nation-building right”.
Suggesting the way forward for the country, Obasanjo recommended that political office seekers, particularly all presidential aspirants, must be “properly x-rayed and profiled from birth” so as to make Nigerians be better informed about who is going to lead the country.
He further recommended that Nigerians, through the appropriate agencies of government, must be educated to be able to make a choice that will be in the national interest and propel Nigeria forward.
“When we have adequately taken care of nation-building measures, especially management of our unity, and taken care of every anomalous situation and performance or lack of it that have put us in political, security, economic and solid quagmire situations that we find ourselves in, then we must zero on personalities.
“Each contender must be properly x-rayed and profiled from birth and Nigerians must be educated to be able to make a choice that will be in the national interest and propel Nigeria forward. Such a person will have to lead what remains of the nation to courageously continue on the path of nation-building as a national team leader, no matter on what platform he or she assumes leadership”.
He, however, said the task of nation-building was a collective one that needs the people to prioritize objectivity over the sentiment to choose the right candidate.
“No one can do it alone. We must, however, stop sacrificing character, track records, and performance on the altar of ethnic, regional, or religious jingoism. As the watchman counts on daybreak, so too do I count on Nigerians and Nigeria to bring forth that person.
“I do not, cannot, and will not at this point suggest the how and to what. I can only count on the patriotic commitment and desires of well-meaning Nigerians to start the process of forging a path out of darkness into the light of salvation and a new glorious dawn.
“It is time to reach into the ability of Nigeria to always snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as we start this collective search on how we can climb out of this hole in which we find our country, Nigeria,” he said.
Some of the dignitaries that participated in the event physically and virtually included the director-general, World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngizi Okonko-Iweala; the President of the Republic of Benin, Nicéphore Soglo; Professor Goski Alabi (Ghana); Ambassador Barry Desker (Singapore); Professor Juma Shabani (Burundi); Dr. Mary Khimulu (Kenya); Dr. Moussa Kondo (Mali); Professor Sarah Agbor (Cameroon); Professor Chukwuma Soludo (in-coming Governor of Anambra State,) and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (Muhammad Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano and Khalifa of Tijjaniyya in Nigeria) to mention few.
