Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has once again broken his silence over long-standing allegations that he sought a third term in office, emphatically denying any such ambitions. Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Obasanjo stressed, “I think I’m not a fool. If I wanted it, some thought I wanted it, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that will say I called him and told him I wanted the third term. None.”
Obasanjo’s remarks come in response to persistent rumours that he intended to extend his tenure beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms during his presidency from 1999 to 2007. Despite these accusations, the former leader argued that securing debt relief for Nigeria during his administration posed a far greater challenge than seeking a third term.
“I keep telling them that, ‘look, if I wanted to get debt relief, which is more difficult than getting a third term and I got it’, if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he confidently stated, highlighting the monumental task of steering Nigeria’s economy out of debt.
In his address, Obasanjo also shared his concerns about leaders who overstay their time in office, describing it as a “sin against God.” He warned against such an attitude, calling it a refusal to make room for new leadership and fresh perspectives. “I know that the best is done when you are young, ideal, vibrant, and dynamic. When you are ‘kuje kuje’ you don’t have the best. But some people believe that unless they are there, nobody else. They will even tell you that they haven’t got anybody else. I believe that that is a sin against God, because if God takes you away, which God can do anytime, then somebody else will come, and that somebody else may do better or may do worse,” he added.
Obasanjo’s comments highlight his belief in the importance of leadership transition and the necessity of creating space for new leaders to emerge. The former president, who has remained a vocal figure in Nigerian politics, called on leaders to avoid clinging to power and instead embrace a broader perspective on governance.
Obasanjo served as Nigeria’s president from 1999 to 2007 and has since remained a key figure in the country’s political landscape. His tenure, though marked by significant economic reforms, was also tainted by controversies surrounding his supposed ambition to extend his time in office. Despite these allegations, Obasanjo has consistently denied any such intentions.
