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“I can’t sacrifice my life for any party’s
interest but I’ll sacrifice my life in the
interest of Nigeria”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on
Thursday said he was willing to sacrifice his
life in the interest of the country.
He said this when
the presidential candidate
of the National Conscience Party, Dr. Martins
Onovo, paid him a visit at his Hilltop
residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
Obasanjo, however, said he would not
sacrifice his life for any political party.
“My first pre-occupation is what is best for
Nigeria. Nigeria first, party second and any
other thing, third. I can sacrifice anything in
the interest of Nigeria and I can sacrifice my
own life for Nigeria.
“I can’t sacrifice my life for any party’s
interest but I’ll sacrifice my life in the
interest of Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
He also commended the founder of the NCP,
Late Gani Fawehinmi, who he described as a
veritable voice of conscience.
Obasanjo said, “Let me hasten to wish you
every success in your endeavour and also
pay tribute, as I have done in my recent
book, to the founder of your party, Gani
Fawehinmi. I believe he was a genuine social
critic. Though you may not agree with all he
said or how he went about it but he was
definitely a genuine social critic.
“So if you, as the flag bearer of the party,
believed that you should follow on his
footsteps of integrity and genuine critical and
committed analysis and criticism of the
situation in the country, I think nobody will
fault you.”
He also urged the NCP to accept the outcome
of the February 14 election as long as it is
free, fair and credible, adding that people do
not necessarily have to be in government
before thay can contribute to the
development of the country.
“In this part of the world, we have a saying
that if people sleep and they put their heads
on the same pillow, they are in danger. That
means there should be some people that
should be critically looking and watching and
also able to speak up.
They should speak up,
no matter what others may say.
“Because people may come up and say
Nigeria doesn’t belong to anybody, I believe
that is a stupid saying. Nigeria belongs to all
of us because anything that doesn’t belong
to anybody, anything can happen to it. For
me, Nigeria belongs to all of us and we are
stakeholders in this country.
“Let me make my own position clear, I am a
card carrying member of the PDP, because
that is the party on which platform I became
the President of this country.
“If what you’re trying to do is in the best
interest of Nigeria and Nigerians accept and
vote for you, who I am I not to accept you as
President of Nigeria, I will. But in this your
campaign, try to inform, woo and to convince
the electorates but whatever may be the
outcome of the election after you have done
all that, once the election is free and fair and
undisturbed, uninterrupted, then you have to
accept the verdict of the people,” Obasanjo
said.
In his remarks, Onovo said his plan, if
elected, is to continue with the
developmental initiave embarked on by
Obasanjo’s administration.
“Our programme is designed to lead to the
abolition of poverty through full employment,
improve health care and electricity supply
and energy which are very critical to
industrial development.
“We are very aware that you did very few
critical things in government when you were
there and some of those we wish to continue
when we get to office, particularly the anti-
corruption efforts, Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt
Practices and other related offences
Commission, we intend to continue.