Oshiomhole Claims Obasanjo's Third-Term Presidential Ambitions Halted
Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has recently asserted that the alleged third-term agenda of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, which purportedly aimed to extend his presidency, was successfully thwarted. Oshiomhole, speaking at a lecture in Akure, Ondo State, commemorating the June 12 celebration, claimed that Obasanjo harbored ambitions of becoming a "life president," drawing parallels with leaders like Cameroon's Paul Biya and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni [4].
According to Oshiomhole, the steadfast determination of the National Assembly, particularly under the leadership of then-Senate President Ken Nnamani, was instrumental in halting these alleged ambitions. Nnamani is credited with resisting pressure from Obasanjo, despite both being in the same political party, to amend the constitution for a third term. Oshiomhole highlighted that the National Assembly's decision to televise proceedings during the debate ensured public accountability for each lawmaker's vote on the matter [4, 15].
Oshiomhole's claims echo sentiments he expressed in July 2018, when he characterized Obasanjo as an "organizing secretary" recruiting "tired players" for a third-term agenda that he believed Nigerians had already rejected [2, 3, 5, 18]. He contended that Nigerians were unwilling to return to an era reminiscent of the Peoples Democratic Party's past, characterized by alleged siphoning of government funds [2, 18].
While Obasanjo himself has reportedly denied intentions of pursuing a third term, the narrative of such an agenda persisted, drawing criticism both domestically and internationally in 2006. The Nigerian Senate ultimately rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Obasanjo to seek a third term, marking an apparent end to the contentious issue [7, 15, 16].
Further adding to the narrative, some have credited the late media mogul Raymond Dokpesi for his role in thwarting Obasanjo's third-term bid by leveraging his media platforms and engaging directly with lawmakers [9, 13]. Oshiomhole and Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, recalled Dokpesi's efforts in safeguarding democracy during that period [9].
Olusegun Obasanjo served as Nigeria's president for two terms, from 1999 to 2007 [1, 6, 7, 8]. Prior to his civilian presidency, he was also Nigeria's Military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 [7, 8, 10].
According to Oshiomhole, the steadfast determination of the National Assembly, particularly under the leadership of then-Senate President Ken Nnamani, was instrumental in halting these alleged ambitions. Nnamani is credited with resisting pressure from Obasanjo, despite both being in the same political party, to amend the constitution for a third term. Oshiomhole highlighted that the National Assembly's decision to televise proceedings during the debate ensured public accountability for each lawmaker's vote on the matter [4, 15].
Oshiomhole's claims echo sentiments he expressed in July 2018, when he characterized Obasanjo as an "organizing secretary" recruiting "tired players" for a third-term agenda that he believed Nigerians had already rejected [2, 3, 5, 18]. He contended that Nigerians were unwilling to return to an era reminiscent of the Peoples Democratic Party's past, characterized by alleged siphoning of government funds [2, 18].
While Obasanjo himself has reportedly denied intentions of pursuing a third term, the narrative of such an agenda persisted, drawing criticism both domestically and internationally in 2006. The Nigerian Senate ultimately rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Obasanjo to seek a third term, marking an apparent end to the contentious issue [7, 15, 16].
Further adding to the narrative, some have credited the late media mogul Raymond Dokpesi for his role in thwarting Obasanjo's third-term bid by leveraging his media platforms and engaging directly with lawmakers [9, 13]. Oshiomhole and Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, recalled Dokpesi's efforts in safeguarding democracy during that period [9].
Olusegun Obasanjo served as Nigeria's president for two terms, from 1999 to 2007 [1, 6, 7, 8]. Prior to his civilian presidency, he was also Nigeria's Military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 [7, 8, 10].
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