By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo was not present to vote at his polling unit 22, Ward 11, Olusomi compound,Totoro, area of Abeokuta-North local government area of the state, Ogun State in Saturday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
This was the first time when the two times Nigerian leader will not vote in an election since Nigeria returns to democracy in 1999.
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s first elected president when the country returned to democracy in 1999 from military rule.
He was re-elected for another term in 2003.
He had previously also served as Nigeria’s military president.
Obasanjo who had earlier declared his support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, voted in the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections.
But the journalist who thronged the former President’s polling unit to capture him while exercising his franchise during the governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday was disappointed as he was nowhere no be found.
When contacted, Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi confirmed that his boss had traveled out of the country 10 days before the governorship and State Assembly elections.
Akinyemi in a phone interview hinted that Obasanjo was billed to return a day before the elections, but he was yet to arrive.
He said “Chief Obasanjo had traveled 10 days ago to India, US, and, UK. He was supposed to return back to the country yesterday (Friday) March 17 but could not return.”
Source: Vanguard
