Barely 12 hours after ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo blasted President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter, he has performed a U-turn.
This time he prayed for President Buhari while urging Nigerians to appreciate his contribution to the development of the nation.
Obasanjo stated on Sunday at a press conference held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, after the release of another 16-page letter in which he described Buhari as another Gen. Sani Abacha.
The elder statesman said the briefing was a follow-up to the letter earlier letter which he wrote to Buhari in January 2018, advising President against re-contesting.
He said that developments after the 2018 letter had proven the contents right, adding that his predictions had been fulfilled.
”I believe that as a watchman, it is appropriate at this time to speak out and where there is need to raise alert, I should raise it and where there is need to commend, I should commend,” he said.
He commended Buhari for respecting the views of Nigerians who had called for a new Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over fears that the former IGP, Ibrahim Idris, might aid election rigging.
”I personally commend the president for yielding to popular outcry to let the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, go when he is due as he had the track records and history of being assigned to rig elections for the incumbent,” he said.
Obasanjo, who insisted that history could not ignore Buhari’s contributions to Nigeria’s development, prayed that the president would witness God’s purpose for Nigeria.
”History will note that he has been there.
”My fervent prayer is that President Buhari may live to see the will and purpose of God for Nigeria,” he said.
READ: Soyinka says Obasanjo unfit to be Nigeria’s moral guardian
Obasanjo also said that some clerics would hold the president to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
He, however, called on the INEC Chairman to stand firm and carry out his duties with competence and unbending neutrality.
The former president also frowned at the prosecution of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, over alleged non-declaration of his assets without following due process.
He further warned that with the liquidation of the ISIS in Iraq and Libya, Africa would be the next port of concentration.
Obasanjo, therefore, called on all African countries to join the struggle in eliminating terrorists from the region, adding that Nigeria must play a vanguard role.
