The presidency has not responded to a letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s, wherein the latter urged the former not to seek re-election in 2019.
Obasanjo said instead of re-contesting, Buhari should rather contribute on the sideline nationally and internationally.
When reached for comments on the statement, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Buhari refused to comment on the situation.
He said the presidency has no comment at this time but will inform the media if it decided to.
Obasanjo, in a strong-worded statement on Tuesday, slammed Buhari for the worsening economic situation in the country, “clannishness” and his inability to take responsibility for the failings of his administration.
The statement read in parts; “Even the horse rider then, with whom I maintain very cordial, happy and social relationship today has come to realise his mistakes and regretted it publicly and I admire his courage and forthrightness in this regard,” Obasanjo said.
“He has a role to play on the sideline for the good of Nigeria, Africa and humanity and I will see him as a partner in playing such a role nationally and internationally, but not as a horse rider in Nigeria again.
“The lice of poor performance in government – poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed – if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality – are very much with us today.”
Meanwhile, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande and Bola Tinubu had a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, just after the circulation of the letter.
