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Obasanjo Knelt Down For Atiku In 2003 -Wole Soyinka

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt down for then Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his desperate bid to secure the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2003 poll, according to Professor Wole Soyinka.

The revelation came yesterday as the Nobel laureate gave a rare insight into the high-stake lobbying and negotiations that preceded the PDP’s presidential primaries in which Atiku was highly favoured to win at the expense of his then boss Obasanjo.

Besides, Soyinka spoke on how genuine efforts by Chief Bola Ige to reposition the energy sector as Power Minister between 1999 and 2000 were sabotaged by Obasanjo.

Soyinka was replying a question at a special reading session to mark the presentation of his latest book, “Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?: Gani’s Unfinished Business”, at the Freedom Park, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Louis Odion, one-time Edo State Information Commissioner and The Nation columnist, asked the literary giant whether he believed a sensational claim last year by Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose of witnessing Obasanjo going down on his knees in Tripoli before the late President Muamar Ghaddafi in his desperate bid to secure the Libyan strongman’s support for an extension of his chairmanship of the African Union (AU), since the former Nigerian President has neither denied nor confirmed the account.

Fayose’s account was published by an Abuja-based monthly magazine, The Interview.

Ghaddafi was younger than Obasanjo. Libya is smaller in size and population compared to Nigeria.

Responding, Soyinka said he had no cause to doubt Fayose, given his knowledge of how Obasanjo did the “unthinkable” when his aspiration for a second term in office was similarly threatened in 2003.

Said he: “Before the PDP primaries in January 2003, Obasanjo got everyone he knew could reach me on the surface on the earth including Yemi Ogunbiyi and my son, to get me to help him intercede when it was clear that (Abubakar) Atiku was in a position to take his job. He knew Atiku had a lot of regard for me and calls me ‘Uncle’.”

In the now famous BBC interview few days to PDP’s 2003 primaries, Atiku had declared that he was under tremendous pressure from his supporters to contest the ticket against Obasanjo but was yet to make up his mind in what triggered panic in Obasanjo’s camp.

“The pressure was intense,” the literary giant recounted. “Of course, I could not have knelt before Atiku not to embark on a course of action that would lead to his boss’ disgrace. But I can confirm to you that Obasanjo as President knelt down before Atiku so that he would not lose his job.

“But I warned Atiku that for making Obasanjo to kneel down for you, be sure you would have to pay heavily for that. I guess my warning came to pass if you remember Atiku’s dramatic change of fortune once Obasanjo was sworn in for a second term of office.”

As expected, yesterday’s book reading turned out a day of reminiscences of many bizarre dramas and unsavory episodes that characterised Obasanjo’s reign as two-term president betweeen 1999 and 2007. The panel of disscussants included frontline rights activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Mr. Sam Omatseye, author and Chairman of “The Nation” Editorial Board, and was moderated by Mr. Kunle Ajibade, award-winning author and Executive Director of “TheNews/Tempo”.

The roll-call at the event included literary colossus Prof. J. P. Clark, Colonel Tony Nyiam (retd) and Mr. Jahman Anikulapo.

Dispelling the notion that the long-running disagreement he has with Obasanjo is personal, Soyinka said his motivation is the desire that those he described as cause of the nation’s problems do not continue to recycle themselves as the solution.

He also dismissed Obasanjo as a hypocrite for denying that he did not have a hand in the third term agenda in 2006.

Said the playwright: “I remember I was invited to a conference in Germany around the time the third term game was unfolding in Nigeria. Then, I received thi

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BREAKING: Tinubu Directs EFCC To Vacate Order Freezing Osun Government Account

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President Bola Tinubu has reportedly directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to withdraw its directive restricting access to Osun State Government’s account, following the controversy surrounding the account freeze.

The development comes after the EFCC placed a Post-No-Debit (PND) restriction on an Osun State Government statutory allocation account domiciled with First Bank, preventing withdrawals from the account as part of an ongoing investigation.

The action sparked a political uproar after Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, accused the anti-graft agency of attempting to cripple government operations ahead of the state’s governorship election. The governor argued that freezing a state government account lacked legal justification and could affect the payment of salaries and other government obligations.

Sources familiar with the matter said President Tinubu’s intervention was aimed at resolving the dispute and preventing further escalation between the federal agency and the Osun State Government. The EFCC had earlier maintained that the restriction was connected to an ongoing investigation and that several government officials had been invited in connection with the probe.

The account restriction had heightened political tension in Osun, coming shortly before the state’s governorship election, with opposition figures and observers questioning the timing of the action.

As of the time of this report, further details on the formal communication between the Presidency and the EFCC, including whether the restriction has been officially lifted, are still awaited.

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2027: Amaechi Has No Electoral Value In Rivers State – Wike

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as a politician with no meaningful electoral value in Rivers State or the South-South region.

Speaking during a media chat in Abuja, Wike argued that Amaechi has consistently failed to deliver significant votes in presidential elections despite serving as a two-term governor of Rivers State, Director-General of presidential campaigns, and a senior minister in the federal government. He questioned the basis for Amaechi’s political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike further claimed that if Amaechi is being considered for a major national political role, such as a vice-presidential candidate, it could not be because of his electoral strength. According to the FCT minister, Amaechi’s record in previous elections does not demonstrate the capacity to influence voting outcomes in Rivers State.

The minister also insisted that Rivers State remains firmly under his political influence, maintaining that opposition parties would struggle to make electoral gains in the state. He argued that the support his political structure enjoys is based on governance and development projects delivered to the people.

Wike’s remarks add another chapter to the long-running political rivalry between the two former Rivers governors, as political alignments continue to take shape ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Dele Momodu Urges Tinubu to Campaign on Performance, Not Propaganda Ahead of 2027

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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has urged President Bola Tinubu to base his 2027 re-election campaign on the performance of his administration rather than political propaganda. He argued that Nigerians would judge the president by his record in office, not by campaign rhetoric.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Momodu said there was no personal hostility towards Tinubu, insisting that what voters want to see are tangible achievements that have improved their lives. He maintained that if the administration has delivered on its promises, presenting a credible scorecard should be enough to convince Nigerians to support another term.

Momodu also advised members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to focus on highlighting the government’s accomplishments instead of engaging in political attacks against opponents. According to him, the electorate is more interested in governance outcomes than partisan exchanges.

The veteran journalist questioned the APC’s continued practice of blaming previous administrations for the country’s challenges after spending more than three years in office. He argued that Nigerians now expect solutions and measurable progress rather than explanations about inherited problems.

His comments come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, with parties and prospective candidates positioning themselves for what is expected to be another highly contested presidential race.

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