Obasanjo Denies Warning Buhari Against 2019 Re-election Bid
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied report that he has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against seeking re-election in 2019. The former president was reacting to the claim made by Alex Nwokedi, his former chief press secretary that Obasanjo had warned Buhari not to contest in the 2019 presidential election.
In a statement issued by Kehinde Akinyemi who is his media aide on Sunday, Obasanjo said he has not spoken to his former press secretary in three years and wondered how he got the information.
The former president described the news as false and destructive and said he was not against Buhari contesting for presidency in 2019. Obasanjo has said he has not asked Buhari not to contest in 2019. He said: “My belief is that democracy allowed for anybody including President Buhari for that matter to contest any election and it is the prerogative rights of Nigerians to vote or not to vote for them. “I have not communicated with Alex in the last three years, so how could a story be credited to me, when I did not authorize such or communicate with him in the last three years? “Not even me, can advise my children not to seek for elective post. It is part of freedom of democracy.
“I condemn in the most highest manner the story and those behind it. And for those behind it, they are simply enemies of democracy and freedom of expression.” Obasanjo said that he is still committed to the peace and progress of the country’s democratic development. He assured that Nigeria’s democracy would bring relief in no distance future with patience and understanding of the country’s masses.
There were reports before the 2015 general elections that Obasanjo had warned Goodluck Jonathan not to seek re-election for presidency. Jonathan allegedly promised not to seek a second term in office but later did igniting the anger of Obasanjo who wrote an open letter accusing him of lying. Part of the letter read: “Up till two months ago, Mr. President, you told me that you have not told anybody that you would contest in 2015. I quickly pointed out to you that the signs and the measures on the ground do not tally with your statement. You said the same to one other person who shared his observation with me. And only a fool would believe that statement you made to me judging by what is going on. I must say it is not ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and more honorable path.”
Femi Fani-Kayode also warned Jonathan not to seek re-election and advised him to apologise to Obasanjo as he would need his support to be politically relevant. He had said: “Only Obasanjo, with the help and support of President Ibrahim Babangida and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has the power, authority and moral gravitas within the PDP to call the dissidents to order and rally their support. “Without that President Goodluck Jonathan is finished and he should just wave goodbye to his 2015 re-election ambitions.” Fani-Kayode, however, later became the campaign manager of Jonathan in his bidto win the presidency election in 2015 but later lost to Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
