Former president Olusegun Obasanjo is furious about a rumour that he has endorsed Peter Obi for election as president of Nigeria in 2023.
The former head of state endorsed the candidature of the Labour Party (LP) in a lengthy letter to Nigerians dated January 1.
“My dear young men and women, you must come together and bring about a meaningful change in your lives.
“If you fail to redeem yourself and your country, you will have lost the opportunity and will have no one to blame but yourselves and posterity will not forgive you”, he stated.
The open declaration shocked the ruling party and the opposition because of how much support it gave Obi’s ambitions.
Since then, some online and print sources have suggested that financial rewards may have influenced Obasanjo.
One of his Aides, who spoke anonymously, refuted the claim in an interview.
How could a man who has led the country as a military and civilian leader sell his conscience, he pondered.
“I am not authorised to speak publicly, but I can confirm that it’s all lies, fake news.
“How much does anyone have to buy a man like Obasanjo? When did speaking one’s mind become a problem?
The retired General reportedly complained to his aide when apprised of the allegation.
“Some VIPs have been calling him about it. Baba was so angry that he raised the matter.
“We checked and discovered it was one or two news sites that are not mainstream.
“We told him to ignore it because this is an election period and people will say things”, he added.
According to the available information, Obasanjo may launch a rejoinder if he continues to feel uneasy about the rumours.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, is one of four major candidates vying to replace President Muhammadu Buhari.
Others in the running are Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).