Everything is fair, including telling libellous lies - Obasanjo says about alleged Support for Buhari’s second a term bid

A former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has refuted claims that he is in support of President Mohammed Buhari’s second term bid.

Instead, he said he had become “more convinced” of Buhari’s unworthiness of a second term, based on his showing at Monday’s press briefing with US President Donald Trump.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ex-president’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, disowned reports claiming that his principal is now in support of Buhari’s second term ambition, describing the reports as malicious.

He said: “In this desperation, everything is fair, including telling libellous lies against persons and institutions, instead of addressing the fundamental issues of statecraft and economic management.

“In the last 24 hours, the Internet has been bombarded with deliberate falsehoods aimed at hoodwinking the unsuspecting Nigerians to believe that Obasanjo has now supported Buhari for his second term because of some perceived Buhari’s ‘superlative’ performance in his encounter with (U.S. President Donald) Trump during his visit to the White House in Washington D. C.”

The statement also criticised Buhari on how he handled the issue of crude oil trade to the United States, importantly US agric produce into Nigeria, and the killings by Fulani herdsmen.

The statement added: “From the Buhari/Trump meeting, Chief Obasanjo only saw through three points:  One, the US will continue to reduce purchase of crude oil from Nigeria and there is nothing Nigeria under Buhari can do about; two, the US will export agricultural products to Nigeria and Buhari’s government will encourage that; and three – all the killings taking place in Nigeria by herdsmen are being done by expatriates trained by Gadaffi and no Nigerian is to blame and Buhari cannot do anything to stop it.

“For whatever the meeting was worth, President Buhari again bungled another opportunity to self-redeem. Therefore, Chief Obasanjo is more convinced in his statement of January 23rd and will not change his position.

“Chief Obasanjo understands that the Internet has good and bad uses. Those abusing the media should desist from this barbaric act as it will only expose them to greater ridicule at the end of the day. Obasanjo will continue to speak out.”