Dr. Usman Bugaje, a political activist and civil society leader, has vehemently disputed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that he did not pursue a third term in office, asserting that the former leader “did everything within his power” to prolong his term.
Speaking last week at a democracy dialogue organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Ghana, Obasanjo brushed off the long-running third-term dispute, declaring, “I’m not a fool.” I know how to go about getting a third term. And no Nigerian, living or dead, would claim that I contacted him and expressed my desire for a third term.
However, Bugaje, who was a member of the National Assembly during Obasanjo’s administration, responded on Monday’s Arise Television Morning Show, arguing that lawmakers at the time were directly aware of the former president’s purported ambition.
“I can attest to the fact that Obasanjo sought a third term. He tried all in his ability to get a third term, but he was unable,” Bugaje said.
All of us in the National Assembly at the time knew without a 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 claimed that he had to hide in various places before a decisive gathering was held to resist the third-term bid. “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 a third term. It’s just a matter of style.”
“The individuals who threatened us and really disbursed the funds are still alive. The recipients of the funds are still living. Those who refused to receive the money are alive. There is adequate evidence… He cannot reject the fact that this is an undeniable subject, Bugaje emphasized.
