How I helped Abdulsalami stop Obasanjo's third term bid – Thabo Mbeki

 

How I helped Abdulsalami stop Obasanjo's third term bid – Thabo Mbeki

In a statement released Monday, ex-South African President Thabo Mbeki stated that he and former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar worked together to defeat former President Olusegun Obasanjo's attempt for a third term.

Remember that the previous President's bid for a third term was defeated by the Senate, which was led by Senator Ken Nnamani.

According to the cable, Mbeki described his collaboration with Abubakar in opposing the proposed constitutional revision during Obasanjo's reign, which took place virtually at a conference in Abuja the previous day.

According to him, after placing a phone call to President Obasanjo to express his dissatisfaction with the idea, he agreed with Abubakar to "intervene against the constitutional revision."

In 2006, more than five years after he had handed over power to Olusegun Obasanjo, Mbeki said, "It is a privilege to reiterate General Abubakar's commitment to democracy in Nigeria.

The constitution on which President Obasanjo was elected stipulated a two-term limit for the head of state, and because he (Obasanjo) had been elected for the second time, this meant that he (Obasanjo) would end his term in 2007,"

The effort to modify the Nigerian constitution to allow for three presidential terms began some time earlier, in 2005, according to the Associated Press. This progressed to the point where the draft of the proposed amendment was delivered to the Nigerian parliament in the form of documents.

"When I learned of this development, I contacted President Obasanjo to express my dissatisfaction with the proposal. Eventually, I discussed it with General Abubakar and we both agreed that the proposed revision was unwelcome. We were all of the same opinion that the amendment should be avoided at all costs. 

We were all of the opinion that interfering with and undermining our democratic system, which has only been in place for a few years, would be detrimental to both Nigeria and the rest of the continent. We agreed to lend our voices to the chorus of people who are speaking out against the amendment. 

We agreed that Abdulsalami would constantly monitor the situation in Nigeria and notify me if and when we should interfere to prevent the constitutional amendment from becoming law. When he announced that the Nigerian Senate had voted against the proposal, I was overjoyed."

It was this development, he continued, that made him realize Abdulsalam's significance as "a protector of democratic order as well as the peace and unity of Nigeria" and the wellbeing of all Nigerians.

Source: vanguard news

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