Ayo Opadokun, the Secretary-General of the National Democratic Coalition, said in an interview that Obasanjo was imprisoned by the military for allegedly taking part in a coup against Abacha. He added that it was still the same military that decided to release Obasanjo for their selfish purposes.
As reported in an interview with The Punch News, Ayo Opadokun said, "It was an election in quote in all ramifications. You could remember that Obasanjo was imprisoned by the military. He was alleged to have taken part in a coup against Abacha. So he was serving his jail terms. But it was the same military that, for their selfish purposes, decided to release him. They knew that releasing him would not be enough for him to contest and win an election after having been convicted of treason. So, they officially pardoned him so that he could contest the election. As of the time he came back from prison, he was like a total wreck. They (the military) were the ones who sponsored and financed his election for him to mount the throne as Nigeria’s civilian president."