Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria on Sunday, September 4, 2016 said President Muhammadu Buhari is free to contest for re-election in 2019.
Obasanjo spoke in reaction to a report that he has advised Buhari not to seek re-election. Sections of the media quoted Alex Nwokedi, the former president’s chief press secretary, who was making the comments on behalf of Obasanjo.
Describing the report as “completely false and destructive”, Obasanjo said the last time he communicated with Nwokedi was three years ago.
“My belief is that democracy allowed for anybody including President Buhari for that matter to contest any election and it is the prerogative rights of Nigerians to vote or not to vote for them,” Obasanjo said in a statement signed by Kehinde Akinyemi, a media aide.
“I have not communicated with Alex in the last three years, so how a story could be credited to me, when I did not authorize such or communicate with him in the last three years?
“I condemn in the highest manner the story and those behind it. And for those behind it, they are simply enemies of democracy and freedom of expression,” the statement said.
