Indications have emerged as to why former President Olusegun Obasanjo released a strongly-worded statement advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek reelection in 2019.
In the statement, which has since gone viral, Obasanjo also blasted the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying they lacked the solution to the nation’s problems.
Daily Post quoted an undisclosed aide to Obasanjo as saying that the ex-president had expressed some of the concerns contained in the statement personally to Buhari, but they were ignored.
The aide said, “We all know the state of the nation and Baba too shares the feelings of Nigerians. He already raised some points contained in the letter to President Buhari. The two leaders see from time to time, they also speak on phone many times.
“In 2016, Baba went to the presidential villa in Abuja before PMB fell ill and they discussed these things, especially the economy, non-performance of some appointees and fight against corruption.
“Baba also had a one on one talk with the president while he was recuperating abroad on same issues.
“Again, when President Buhari returned to Nigeria, Baba went to meet him again to remind him what they discussed.
“PMB gave his words that there will be changes but till now, those assurances have not been fulfilled.
“Baba felt he should speak now so that it would be on record that he didn’t keep quiet when things were going wrong.”
Asked if Obasanjo’s camp had received any word from the presidency after the release of the statement, the source reportedly replied, “Not as I speak but we have been receiving calls from across the country”.