“Nigeria Is Back To Abacha Era’ — Obasanjo Hits Buhari Again

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria is back to the
Abacha era when state institutions were used to fight perceived
enemies of the head of state.
He was speaking on Sunday in his state of the nation address which
he tagged “Points for Concern and Action”.
Sani Abacha, a general, was the military head of state from
November 1993 till his death in June 1998 and was accused of using
dictatorial powers to rule the country.
TheCable understands that Obasanjo decided to address the nation
following recent developments in the polity, including the trial of the
chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, over an alleged false
declaration of assets.
Obasanjo said: “Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security
institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of
Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, Police and Code
of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with
those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who
may not do his bidding in manipulating election results. Criticism,
choice and being different are inherent trade mark of democracy. If
democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will
automatically follow.
“Today, as in the day of Abacha, Nigerians must rise up and do
what they did in the time of Abacha. Churches and Mosques
prayed. International community stood by us Nigerians. I was a
beneficiary and my life was saved. Well-meaning Nigerians took
appropriate actions and made sacrifices, some supreme, some less
than supreme but God had the final say and He took the ultimate
action.”
Obasanjo was jailed for life by Abacha on 1995 over an alleged coup
plot, but he was released in 1998 after the death of the military
ruler.
He was then twice elected president of Nigeria, from 1999 to 2007,
having been a military head of state himself from 1976 to 1979.