Third term is the brainchild of some governors – Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has once again shed light on the controversial third term bid that became the reference point of his government.
During an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Obasanjo disclosed that certain state governors were also proponents of the tenure extension.
Obasanjo noted that the third term proponents amongst the governors were pushing the idea for self serving purposes as they also wished to have their tenures illegally elongated. “These governors sought personal gains through the possibility of their own term extensions,” he said.
In 2006, a bill aimed at amending the 1999 constitution to extend term limits by four years failed to pass in the National Assembly.
This setback can be attributed to the efforts of lawmakers, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, who stood against the controversial third term proposal.
Nnamani described the resistance as a sacrifice made by the lawmakers, as they successfully prevented the passage of the bill.
During the interview, Obasanjo also addressed allegations of corruption leveled against him.
He refuted the claims of embezzlement, emphasizing that his forte lies in raising funds rather than misappropriation. Obasanjo dismissed his critics, suggesting that those unable to match his financial acumen resorted to castigating him instead.
In response to accusations of attempting to cripple the economy of Lagos state under the leadership of Bola Tinubu, Obasanjo categorically dismissed the claims as baseless and nonsensical. He questioned the correlation between such allegations and Tinubu’s ownership of Alphabeta firm, implying that the accusations lacked a factual basis.
Obasanjo also disclosed that he had nothing against the former Governor of Delta state, James Ibori, who faced investigations and subsequent charges of misappropriating over $200 million.
The former President revealed that Ibori had attempted to compromise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by offering a bribe of $15 million to its then Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu. However, the money was deposited as exhibit at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Notably, Ribadu currently serves as the incumbent Security Adviser to President Tinubu. Obasanjo’s remarks shed light on the circumstances surrounding Ibori’s corruption case and his unsuccessful attempt to influence the EFCC.
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