Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday denied a report which indicated that he had dropped his support for Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Mr Atiku Abubakar.
He faulted the report which also stated that he had no preferred presidential candidate. Mr Obasanjo said only a fool would sit on the fence.
The ex-President said these in a statement by his media aide, Mr Kehinde Akinyemi, made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
In the statement titled, “2019 elections and reports of Mr Olusegun Obasanjo’s neutrality”, Obasanjo said he was in Cairo to attend the maiden edition of Intra-African Trade Fair where he acted as Chairman of the Advisory Council when his attention was drawn to the report with the headline: “Atiku: Obasanjo shifts political gear to neutral”.
Obasanjo said in the statement that Nigeria was being destroyed by incompetence, lack of focus and nepotism.
He said while he chose not to use the Owu convention in Iwo, Osun State on Saturday as a platform for a political campaign, he adopted a communal and familial approach in talking to members of his Owu sub-ethnic group.
According to the statement, the former President “believes that only a fool will sit on the fence or be neutral when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption, lack of focus, insecurity, nepotism, brazen impunity and denial of the obvious. Obasanjo is no such fool nor is he so unwise”.
The statement said, “It is disingenuous, if not malicious, for anyone to suggest that Obasanjo was being neutral when he chose not to use the Owu convention as a platform for political campaign but instead adopted a communal and familial approach in talking to members of his Owu family.
“For the records, and as accurately reported by some media organisations, what the former President said at the convention in Iwo was that while he would not impose any candidates on them, Nigerians should vote for credible candidates who would drive growth and development and make their lives better than it is now.
“Obasanjo’s statement did not suggest neutrality. In fact, the former President believes that only a fool will sit on the fence or be neutral when his or her country is being destroyed. Obasanjo is no such fool nor is he so unwise.
“The former President reassures Nigerians that he will not sit on the fence when he needs to be out and active for people to know where he stands in the best interest of Nigeria.
“Obasanjo reaffirms that he is on the side of what is best for Nigeria and what we have currently, at the helm of affairs of Nigeria, is not the best for Nigeria, so nobody should fool himself or deceive others about Obasanjo’s position.
“The former President further urges Nigerians, who are victims of what we have for now, to stop just complaining and go out to get beneficial change.
“They must know that such change will not come if they remain inactive, just complaining and complacent and allow themselves to be deceived by sycophants and enemies of Nigeria.
“If they do not become active and get the much-needed change of the current administration to a government that will improve the economy, regain confidence of investors and generally drive growth, development and economic progress with security, what is coming will be much worse than what Nigerians currently suffer.
“On his part, Obasanjo will remain consistent in speaking out whenever and wherever he sees evil as he is known to do no matter whose ox is gored. Nobody should manipulate Obasanjo’s position, particularly on 2019 presidential election and what he said in Iwo, to perpetrate or perpetuate continued destruction of our country, “the statement said.
Obasanjo, had in a letter to the President in January this year, urged Buhari not to seek re-election. He had accused the President of incompetence in many areas, including the economy.
Punch