- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given insights to how he emerged Nigeria's president in 1999
- Obasanjo was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Niger State Investment Summit
- The theme of the summit was ‘‘Advancing Agricultural Economy through Innovation and Truly Niger.’’
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday, August 14 said former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, “conspired with others” to make him president in 1999.
Obasanjo made the statement while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Niger state Investment Summit with the theme: ‘‘Advancing Agricultural Economy through Innovation and Truly Niger.’’
General Abubakar had pardoned Obasanjo over a fathom military coup allegation by late General Sani Abacha and incarceration in prison for months.
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Obasanjo speaking at the event flanked by General Abubakar .
Obasanjo told his audience that he was granted pardon for an offence he did not commit..
His words: “I was going on with my life ‘jeje’ (easily) in the prison when General Abdulsalami Abubakar decided to get me out.
“He did not stop at that but also decided to grant me pardon and conspired with others to send me to the presidency.”
General Abubakar who was standing close to Obasanjo at the event could not help but smile in reaction to his successor's comment.
Obasanjo used the opportunity to urge commercial banks to lower their interest rates to enable farmers access loans for improved agricultural production.
According to him, doing agriculture and charging the rate of interest in double digit is to promote failure.
“The interest rate of banks in Nigeria is one of the obstacles that are affecting our farmers.
“They are not able to pay banks after taking loans and at the same time still able to run their agriculture business successfully,’’ he said.
Obasanjo and Acting President Osinbajo at the event. Photo credit: Novo Isioro
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Meanwhile, Obasanjo recently declared that unless Nigerian youths come out to contest elective positions, old generation politicians would not quit the stage for them.
The former president made the statement on Saturday August 12, in Abeokuta, Ogun state, at the Youth Governance Dialogue organised to mark International Youth Day 2017.
NAIJ.com gathered that the programme was organised by Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.
Watch NAIJ.com TV market survey below, which focuses on prices of food items in the market: