Governors, senators, others for Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria

A former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, is mobilising politicians and other Nigerians to sign on to his Coalition for Nigeria project, to oust President Muhammadu Buhari from office. Many of those consulted by Mr. Obasanjo are said to have signed on to his elaborate plan for a mass movement away from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to “rescue” the country.

Mr. Obasanjo described the two parties as “wobbling” and unfit to run Nigeria. On Tuesday, the former president issued a scathing public commentary on the Buhari administration, advising the president to take a “deserved rest” and urging Nigerians to vote him out should Mr. Buhari insist on running.

The Nigerian government on Wednesday responded to Mr. Obasanjo, outlining many achievements of the government. But there is an untold story to the public rebuke. According to PREMIUM TIMES, the former president repeatedly discussed his concerns with Mr. Buhari, and then decided to go public after he noticed no improvement in the way the country is governed.

Frustrated by the worsening political and security situation of the country, Mr. Obasanjo spent the last few months consulting key political leaders in the country. He then used the better part of January drafting and editing what is now the explosive “special press statement” that has shaken the nation’s political foundation.

Asked from the audience on when he would make his feelings about the Buhari government public, Mr. Obasanjo said the time was not ripe. However, aides and associates of the former president said he had actually began expressing his misgivings about the Buhari administration from late last year, and shared his feelings with political associates and some elder statesmen.

A number of those consulted, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, consented to Mr. Obasanjo’s idea that it was time to intervene in the political course of events. Mr. Obasanjo has held meetings with former Nigerian leaders, serving governors, lawmakers and other key leaders across the country before arriving at the decision.

“At the last count, seven governors, 20 senators and over 100 House of Representatives members have agreed in principle with Baba to go into this coalition,” a close associate of the former president told our reporter. The personalities have chosen to remain in the shadows for now but have signaled their intention to move in to what is envisioned to be a mega coalition at some time.

HOW THE STATEMENT WAS COMPOSED AND RELEASED

On his return to Nigeria from Oxford, Mr. Obasanjo commenced work in earnest on the press statement. He shared a draft with a few close aides and some of his children to get their comments. The former president was said to have made final edits on the document on the flight to and from Liberia for the inauguration of President George Weah.

“Very early in the morning of Tuesday, Mr. Obasanjo called a meeting of about eight of his close aides and associates to finalise the document and what to do with it,” a source familiar with what transpired that morning told PREMIUM TIMES. Some of the former president’s children were said to have cautioned him about his personal security considering the tones of the letter.

“Baba (Obasanjo) however told them that was the least of his concerns. He told them that he considers himself to be living on extra-time and was ready to pay whatever price for this country,” the source explained. The meeting then discussed the content of the statement and came to agreement that time was ripe for the document to be released.

Mr. Obasanjo then directed that the statement be released to the media by email at 1pm, Tuesday. He also ordered for the final copy to be produced into a booklet. Initial 1000 copies were then produced. The octogenarian then picked up some copies of the booklets as he made for Ibadan later that morning.