‘Third Term Bid’: ‘He Wanted to Remain in Office’ — Bugaje blasts Obasanjo

Former lawmaker, Dr. Usman Bugaje, has dismissed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent denial of seeking a third term in office.

Obasanjo, speaking in Ghana at a democracy dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, claimed he never lobbied for an extension of his tenure. He insisted that no Nigerian could honestly say he ever approached them about such plans.

But Bugaje, appearing on Arise Television on Monday, told a different story. He insisted the former president “did everything to retain power” during his time in office. Dr Usman Bugaje was a federal lawmaker while Obasanjo was in power.

According to him, members of the National Assembly had first-hand experience of the pressure that came with the third-term push. “He wanted a third term. He worked day and night to get it, but he failed,” Bugaje said.

The ex-lawmaker alleged that many legislators were intimidated and threatened by agents working for the government at the time. He recalled that Senator Victor Lar, then leader of the Northern caucus, had to go into hiding before lawmakers finally gathered to block the bid.

Bugaje added that money allegedly exchanged hands during the process, stressing that both those who shared and those who rejected the funds are still alive today.

He described Obasanjo’s denial as false and insisted there is “sufficient evidence” to prove the agenda was real.