Third Term: You Lied, Bugaje Debunks Obasanjo's Claim.

Political activist and civil society leader, Dr. Usman Bugaje has strongly refuted the claim by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that he did not seek for third term in office.

Bugaje insisted that former President Obasanjo “did everything within his power” to extend his tenure.

Recall that former President of Nigeria, Obasanjo, while speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, denied long-standing allegations claiming he sought to have a third term just before his second term in office as a democratically elected President ended in 2007.

Obasanjo claimed that there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.

Hf has said, “I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term.”

He insisted that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.

Reacting to the former President's claim in an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Bugaje maintained that legislators at the time had first-hand knowledge of the former President’s alleged ambition.

Bugaje insisted, “I can confirm to you that Obasanjo looked for third term. He did everything that he could within his power to get third term, but he failed to do so.”

He added, “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 third term.

“It’s just a matter of style, but all of us in the National Assembly at that time knew beyond any doubt that he worked day and night, and many of us were threatened by his own agents.”

Bugaje, who was a member of the National Assembly during Obasanjo’s administration, recalled how some lawmakers allegedly suffered intimidation, citing Senator Victor Lar, then leader of the Northern caucus of the House of Representatives, who, he said had to hide in different locations before a decisive gathering was held to resist the third-term bid.

He enthused, “Those people who actually distributed the money and threatened us are alive. Those who received the money are alive. Those who refused to receive the money are alive.

“There is sufficient evidence…this is a matter that is incontrovertible, there is no way he can deny it.”

Story by - Jide Gold