‘Governors wanted third term for themselves’ – Obasanjo speaks on failed bid again

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says some state governors were involved in the infamous third term fiasco.

In what was the culmination of months of political brinkmanship in 2006, a bill to amend the 1999 constitution and extend term limits by another four years, failed to pass at the national assembly. 

In the years that have followed, Obasanjo has consistently denied seeking to extend his stay in office beyond 2007, saying some governors were behind it all.

Speaking during a chat with Chude Jideonwo, the media personality, Obasanjo opened up on his time in office and his administration’s stance on anti-corruption.

On the botched third term bid, the former president said: “The governors, some of them, were doing it for themselves”.

“Because if the president did a third term, they too would have had a chance for a third term.”

In 2004, Segun Osoba, a former governor of Ogun state, criticised Obasanjo for perceived inaccuracies recorded in his book ‘My Watch’, adding that the former president almost “went on his knees” to beg for support for a third term.

Goodluck Jonathan, a former president and governor during the period, also confirmed that Obasanjo really wanted a third term, noting that the bid failed due to resistance from the national assembly.

TheCable had also reported that Ken Nnamani, former senate president, said lawmakers in the fifth national assembly, sacrificed their legislative careers after seeing to the truncation of the controversial third term bid.

Addressing perennial allegations of embezzlement against him, the former president said his forte is raising money and not embezzlement, noting that people who can’t match his acumen should stop castigating him.

Like former President Muhammadu Buhari, Obasanjo ruled Nigeria as military head of state before returning as civilian president, as Africa’s most populous nation commenced its fourth republic.