Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained how Nigeria’s former military dictator, Late Gen. Sanni Abacha poisoned Shehu Musa Yar’Adua a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters in December 1997.
The former president revealed that Abacha had meticulously planned to assassinate him (Obasanjo), Yar’adua and MKO Abiola on charges of planning a coup to oust the government.
Obasanjo, however, noted that the late dictator left God out of the plan and as expected, the plan failed.
Obasanjo noted further that while he made it out alive, unfortunately, Yar’Adua, Abiola and Abacha himself who had hatched the assassination plans did not.
He explained that God was the only reason he lived till now as there have been several high profile attempts on his life.
The former Nigerian leader revealed this on Saturday at a dinner programme organised by an interdenominational Christian organisation, Christ The Redeemer’s Friends International of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 39 Chapter.
The former president who was narrating how his life has been a totality of testimonies said: “Abacha claimed that I was plotting a coup. I wasn’t the first to be arrested. When Shehu (Yar’Adua) was arrested, I tried to plead for his release.
“When Abacha said he didn’t know about Shehu’s arrest, I said to him, ‘the number two man in this country cannot be arrested without you knowing.’ He then said he would go and find out.
“In Abacha’s plan, he left God out of it and because he left God out of his plan, it (his government) eventually failed. There is God’s hand in the life of each and every one of us and every institution. I believe that very well.
“When I was arrested, they took me to a house in Ikoyi (Lagos) and that became my abode (I was) in isolation, for three months.
“In the meantime, there were national and international pressures for my release, (former US) President Jimmy Carter was one of the world leaders that came to ask for my release.
“Some African leaders like Yoweri Museveni and Robert Mugabe came. I believe it was because of those pressures that I was released from isolation in Ikoyi where I was under house arrest,” Obasanjo revealed.
The elder statesman also described himself as a sinner enjoying God’s grace.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that while Yar’Adua died on December 8, 1997, the acclaimed winner of the June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola died on 7, July 1998, a month before the former dictator (Abacha) died. Abacha died on 8, June 1998.