Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has debunked prevailing rumour of being absconded and moved out of the country over general elections, saying he had no reason to run away at this crucial time in Nigeria’s political history, having helped midwife return of democracy.
Obasanjo, who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Friday, expressed fear over Presidential election, claiming that reports reaching him indicated that attempts had already begun to rig the election in favour of the ruling party.
The former President noted that a social media platform had reported that he had fled the country on Friday (a day to the Presidential election), but, Obasanjo, who was on his way to play Squash at the popular Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, told media men that the allegation was untrue and libelous.
He asked journalists inquisitively, “Why do you think that I will travel out of the country because of the election, there is no any reason for that?”
“I believe that I should be here (Nigeria) to perform my civic responsibility tomorrow (on Saturday) which is to vote according to the dictates of my heart and on the 2nd March and those who are carrying that type of rumour or fake news”, Obasanjo answered himself.
He added, ” I think I leave them in the hand of God, I am used to that sort of things.
“Information at my disposal is that ballot papers are being thumb printed in some parts of the country.
“Tomorrow (on Saturday) should be a red letter day to Nigerians, a day when we should be able to say we have again firmly stabilized our democracy, although for me, I still have some apprehension. If the news of already thumb printed ballot papers are found in Kano yesterday is true.
“I have received news of same in Ondo today, I have received news from Ikorodu -Lagos, if these are true, we haven’t had anything like these before. I don’t want to say have I not told you, it is sad if they are true.
“INEC will have to tell us how these happened, maybe INEC will have answer and not only answer but also precautions against these tomorrow because if people are thumb printing and by chance, get into tomorrow’s ballot papers, it will make nonsense of all INEC has prepared for”, he completed.
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
