By Bayo Wahab
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s denial of pushing for a third term in office has been strongly refuted by political activist and civil society leader, Dr. Usman Bugaje, who insisted that the ex-president “did everything within his power” to extend his tenure.
Obasanjo, while speaking at a democracy dialogue hosted by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Ghana last week, had dismissed the long-standing third-term controversy, saying: “I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian dead or alive that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term.”
But reacting on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Bugaje, who served as a member of the National Assembly during Obasanjo’s administration, maintained that legislators at the time had first-hand knowledge of the former president’s alleged ambition.
“I can confirm to you that Obasanjo looked for third term. He did everything that he could within his power to get third term, he failed to do so,” Bugaje declared.
“Now, the fact that he did not take a telephone to make a particular call to anybody is not sufficient evidence that he did not look for third term. It’s just a matter of style, but all of us in the National Assembly at that time knew beyond any doubt that he worked day and night, and many of us were threatened by his own agents.”
Bugaje recalled how some lawmakers allegedly suffered intimidation, citing Senator Victor Lar, then leader of the Northern caucus of the House of Representatives, who, according to him, had to hide in different locations before a decisive gathering was held to resist the third-term bid.
“Those people who actually distributed the money and threatened us are alive. Those who received the money are alive. Those who refused to receive the money are alive. There is sufficient evidence… this is a matter that is incontrovertible, there is no way he can deny it,” Bugaje stressed.
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