Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday said he has not fled Nigeria, contrary to a social media report that he had traveled out of the county ahead of the presidential election scheduled for Saturday.
Obasanjo spoke with newsmen at his Presidential Library, Abeokuta, describing the Social media post as “fake news.
The former president was reacting to a Facebook post of one Gbenga Lawal who posted: “Breaking: Obasanjo jets out of Nigeria. He can’t even wait for the thief he is imposing on Nigerians.”
In his reaction, Obasanjo said “Why should I travel out of the country before the election?
“If not for anything, I believe I should be here to perform my civic responsibility, which is to vote according to the dictate of my heart tomorrow and on the second of March.
“Those who are carrying that type of rumour or fake news; I leave them in the Hands of God; I am used to that kind of thing.
“In Yoruba land, if your head is hard, you don’t have to worry yourself.
“Let anybody tell lies against you, let anybody issue fake news against you, let anybody abuse you, God will deal with them rightly and appropriately.”
The elder statesman who recalled that he had played a critical role in laying the foundation of Nigeria’s democracy wondered why he would run away for the country’s polls.
“I believe I should be here to perform my civic role which is to vote according to the dictate of my heart.
” I am used to this kind of a thing and I leave those who are carrying such falsehood in the hands of God.
“I have a very hard head and strong destiny and my people in Yorubaland believe that such people should not get worried at such things.
” Let anybody be against you. Let anybody issue fake news against you or let anybody abuse you, God will deal with them rightly and appropriately,” he said.
Obasanjo noted that the 2019 polls should serve as a platform for Nigeria to demonstrate to the world that its democracy had deepened.
” “I believe that Saturday should be a Red Letter day for all Nigerians.
“A day when we should be able to say to everyone that we have firmly stabilised our democracy,” he said.
He expressed concern over reports of discovery of thumb-printed ballot papers in parts of the country, saying, it will be unfortunate if such reports are true.
Obasanjo urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take precautions against such development and thwart the plans of perpetrators of such evil.
Punch/NAN
