Ex-President calls Atiku a liar, Tinubu, a thief

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, officially launched his autobiography titled “My Watch" on Tuesday, December 9, at the Lagos Country Club in Ikeja.
(Sahara Reporters)

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has continued to throw verbal barbs at Nigerian politicians through his newly released autobiography “My Watch.”

Obasanjo has described former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as a “blatant and shameless liar” and said that former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu was one of the most corrupt governors during his tenure.

 

The former President also berated incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan describing him as an incompetent leader who has failed Nigerians. He also stated that Jonathan’s administration is inept and a colossal failure.

On Umaru Yar’adua’s illness, Obasanjo maintained that the late former president deceived him about the state of his health.

“The unprepared and unplanned transition from Yar’Adua to Jonathan was a more difficult exercise in some respects. One reason was the ‘cloak and dagger’ manner in which Yar’Adua’s illness was handled.”

“The illness of a President cannot be regarded as private. His health has implications for the security and wellbeing of the nation. For the president and those around him to have attempted strenuously to keep the fact of the severity of his illness from public smacks of ignorance of the enormity of what the job entails and the level of provinciality of their understanding, attitude, and approach,” Obasanjo said.

He blamed the third term saga, in which he was implicated, on Atiku

“Those who can be regarded as influential and who have publicly accused me of allegedly manipulating a third term were Atiku Abubakar, who is a blatant and shameless liar.”

“Atiku was behind the whole episode of turning wholesome constitutional amendment efforts of the National Assembly to a futile exercise and as a means of riding on its ashes to be a Nigerian President,” he wrote.

“If I did not want tenure elongation when I was military Head of State, I see no reason why I should be falsely accused of coup planning by Abacha and tenure elongation by Atiku,” he added.

On Tinubu, he said:

“Nuhu Ribadu tried to investigate almost all of them to the best of my understanding. At a time, he publicly announced that 28 out of the 36 governors were either manifestly corrupt or had tainted in one way or other. He gave me a copy of his report on those governors. Bola Tinubu was definitely one of the worst cases.”

Obasanjo also spoke on the restraining order which had been granted by a court to Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Buruji Kashamu to prevent him from publishing the book

“The book had already been published and printed three months ago, only for the court  to be asked to put a stop to it. Buruji went to a court to stop the book from being published and the hearing was fixed for yesterday (Monday). When that was not enough, he went to another court by 5pm on a Friday and got an injunction, saying the book should not be published. Unfortunately, the book was already completed three months ago.”

Obasanjo launched the book yesterday, December 9, in Lagos and Atiku was one of the dignitaries present at the eve