I’m More Concerned With National Security, Poverty Alleviation – Obasanjo

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has said that his life in retirement is dominated by the concern to ensure national security through poverty alleviation strategies and wealth creation.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Mallam Garba Deen Muhammad, the former President said that he was also committed to the? control and prevention of preventable diseases such as malaria, polio, infant and maternal mortality, among others.

Obasanjo denied media reports that he had dumped his protégé, President Goodluck Jonathan in favour of Sule Lamido/ Rotimi Amaechi ticket in the run up to 2015.

The statement further pointed out that he, collaborating with other national and world leaders, has been actively involved in the search for viable solutions to these problems.

Even at that, the statement said that the former President recognised the rights and privileges of any Nigerian to vie for any elective office of their choice. This, he said, applied as much to Governors Lamido and Amaechi as to any Nigerian citizen and added “in the end, it is usually the political party to which aspirants belong that determines who bears its flag.”

Obasanjo, therefore, enjoined all Nigerians to be mindful of the present challenges the country was facing and try to contribute their quota towards finding a lasting solution, rather than speculating on an election that was still several years away.

Similarly, the former President described as unfortunate a statement credited to former Oyo State Governor, Chief Lam Adesina and added that the reported statement ridiculed the former governor and made nonsense of his elderly status.