Obasanjo Likens Buhari To Abacha, Says President Planning To Rig Elections

Former Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo has attacked President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of plotting to rig the general elections.

Obasanjo made this allegation in an open letter titled “Point for Concern and Action” which he distributed to journalists at a press conference held at his house at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State on Sunday.

Naija News reports that the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 16 and Buhari is seeking re-election on the platform of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the open letter, Obasanjo also alleged that the President was acting like a former military dictator, Sani Abacha.

His words: “Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived the second time,” Obasanjo wrote.

“Buba Galadima, who knows Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the Buhari’s party before it joined in forming All Progressives Congress, APC has warned us this time around that no matter what he promises, he cannot change his character and attitude.”

This online news platform recalls that the former President was one of the millions of Nigerians who supported Buhari in the 2015 presidential election.

Obasanjo has since withdrawn his support for the president, accusing him of incompetence and nepotism.

In his letter, Obasanjo said Galadima “describes him (Mr Buhari) as inflexible, insincere, dubious, intolerant, never accepts responsibility when things go wrong and impervious to reason and advice for change. If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything is the assertion of George Bernard Shaw.”

The former President then claimed that what is happening in Nigeria under Mr Buhari can be likened to what Nigerians witnessed under a late military dictator, Sani Abacha.

Naija News reports that Abacha, who ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998, died in office while trying to perpetuate himself in office.

“He went for broke and surrounded himself with hatchet men who on his order and in his interest and at high costs to Nigeria and Nigerians, maimed, tortured and killed for Abacha. Buhari has started on the same note on the same path in mad desperation,” Obasanjo claimed.

Obasanjo then alleged that the president and his party are recruiting collation officers who are already awarding election results.

“It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised electoral bill into law. His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns.”

The former President said the current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility and also use violence of unimaginable proportion which will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate re-run elections.

“We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammed Buhari. This is the time for preventive measures to be taken otherwise Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with impunity and total disregard of all pleas.”

Naija News reports that Obasanjo’s letter comes despite repeated promises by President Buhari to ensure free and fair elections.

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, the Presidency was yet to react to Obasanjo’s latest outburst.