Ayo Opadokun, Secretary-General of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was aware of the late Umaru Yar'Adua's health issues but still endorsed him for the presidency.
In a report published by Punch, Opadokun alleged that Obasanjo intended to control Yar'Adua's administration but was thwarted when Yar'Adua's health deteriorated, ultimately leading to his death.
Opadokun further stated that when Goodluck Jonathan ascended to the presidency following Yar'Adua's death, he established his independence.
He emphasized that Obasanjo knowingly endorsed someone with health challenges, expecting to govern him from afar. However, this plan failed when Yar'Adua did not survive. Additionally, Jonathan, who succeeded Yar'Adua, sought to assert his independence, prompting Obasanjo to become critical.
( Photo credit : The Punch Newspaper Verified Facebook Page )
As per The Punch, he remarked, "Obasanjo knew somebody was challenged healthwise. Yet, he propelled the person to take over power from him (Obasanjo). He thought he would be able to govern the person remotely. But that didn’t happen. Unfortunately, the man didn’t survive. In addition, because the man who took over from him, Jonathan, wanted to be a man in his way, Obasanjo became a letterwriter"