The controversy surrounding former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged third term bid has once again come into the spotlight.
Obasanjo’s recent remarks at a democracy dialogue hosted by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Ghana, where he dismissed the notion of seeking a third term, have been strongly challenged by Dr. Usman Bugaje, a prominent political activist and former member of the National Assembly during Obasanjo’s tenure.
In his speech, Obasanjo claimed, “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.” However, Bugaje, speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, vehemently refuted Obasanjo’s denial, stating that the former president “did everything within his power” to extend his tenure.
Bugaje, who had direct experience as a legislator during Obasanjo’s administration, recalled the persistent efforts made by the former president and his associates to secure a third term, even though they ultimately failed. “I can confirm to you that Obasanjo looked for third term. He did everything that he could within his power to get third term,” Bugaje stated.
While Obasanjo’s denial hinged on the lack of direct phone calls or overt actions, Bugaje argued that these tactics were not the only indicators of the former president’s ambition. “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,” he asserted, adding that the subtle and covert actions taken by Obasanjo’s camp were well-known to many lawmakers at the time.
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Bugaje further revealed the extent to which Obasanjo’s agents allegedly intimidated legislators, citing the example of Senator Victor Lar, the then leader of the Northern Caucus of the House of Representatives. Lar, Bugaje said, was forced to go into hiding due to threats during critical meetings that aimed to resist the third-term proposal. “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,” Bugaje stressed.
