Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied long-standing rumors that he tried to extend his time in power, saying he never wanted a third term.
Obasanjo spoke at the Democracy Dialogue organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana. He added that no Nigerian, living or dead, can honestly say that he asked for support for a third term agenda, according to Sunday Trust.
“I’m not an idiot. I know how to get a third term if I desire one. The former president said, “And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, who would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term.”
Obasanjo said he had shown he could achieve tough national goals, pointing to Nigeria’s debt alleviation during his time in office as a considerably bigger task than any third term goal.
“I keep telling them that if I could get out of debt, which was harder than getting a third term, then I would have gotten a third term too,” he said.
He also warned against leaders who stay in power too long, saying that thinking you are “indispensable” is a “sin against God.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan claimed that if appropriate elections were held, any leader who didn’t do their job would be voted out of government.
He added that electoral manipulation is one of the major challenges to democracy in Africa. He also said that if people don’t come together to rethink and change democracy, it could fall apart in Africa.
He also said that politicians need to promise to support the kind of democracy that gives kids a wonderful future and lets them speak up.
He added, “Democracy in Africa is going through a rough patch and could fall apart if everyone doesn’t come together to rethink and change it.” One of the largest problems in Africa is still electoral rigging.
“We in Africa need to start thinking about our democracy in a way that works for us and our people. One issue is how we vote. People do whatever it takes to stay in power.
“If we had real elections, the people would vote out a leader who doesn’t do their job. But in our case, people manipulate the system to keep themselves going even when no one wants them.
“Our people want to be free.” They want their votes to matter when they vote. They demand fair representation and to be included. They want to go to school. People in our country want safety. They want to be able to get good medical treatment. They seek work. They want to be treated with respect. People lose faith in their leaders when they don’t address these basic necessities.
Dr. Omar Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of the Catholic Church were also there. They all said that democracy in Africa needs to be more than just elections; it needs to involve accountability, service, and discipline.
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