My Watch: Obasanjo, a chronic liar - Osoba, Adebanjo

The former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba has accused formerNigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of lying serially in his newlypublished memoir, My Watch, describing the ex-military cum civilian ruleras a "big liar and an untruthful chronicler of history".Osoba launched the attack against Obasanjo in Lagos on Monday whilespeaking at the launch of the book: Watch The Watcher: A Book ofRemembrance of the Obasanjo Years, authored by Yinka Odumakin, thespokesperson of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere.According to Osoba, he would soon write his own book to debunk "thetissues of lies that Obasanjo had written in his book, especially as itconcerns how the Alliance for Democracy, AD, lost Ogun State in the 2003general elections."Osoba said he recalled that sometime in 2002, at the University of LagosConvocation, Obasanjo asked him and other AD governors who were at theconvocation to meet him at the Dodan Barracks in Ikopyi."When we got there, he begged us to support him in 2003 to retain hisseat as President in the 2003 election. We told him that it was not adecision we could take without the involvement of elders of the partysuch as late Pa Abraham Adesanya."So, another meeting was fixed for Ogun Government Lodge in Abeokuta.At the meeting, Obasanjo again begged for our support. However, twoweeks before the 2003 presidential election, Pa Abraham Adesanya accusedObasanjo of trying to use military tactics to outwit us. He failed tokeep to the terms of the agreement we had with him."I am surprised that Obasanjo in his book, denied knowing anything aboutthe arrangement between AD and his party,the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). I will give a full account of what happened in my book," Osoba, aveteran journalist, said.Also speaking at the launch, another chieftain of Afenifere, Chief AyoAdebanjo also berated the former President, saying he is "a man that hasnoconscience, a self-centred man who believes no other person mattersexcept himself."Adebanjo chastised the former President whom he said acted as Presidentand Minister of Petroleum Resources throughout his eight years in office,without any benefit to the nation.The reviewer, Prof. G. G. Darah, former Chairman of the Editorial Board ofthe Guardian, described the book as "a provocative and polemical book ofmemoirs and reflections by Yinka Odumakin about Gen. Obasanjo."He said the author intended to challenge "the exaggerated claims of heroicgrandeur and accomplishments made by the former President"."The author hopes that the book will add to the collective memory cardof Nigerians, so that they would not suffer the disease of amnesia,which encourages unworthy public men and women to act with impunity,"Darah said.The author, Yinka Odumakin said he decided to write the book so as to setthe record straight for the sake of prosterity. He also said he choseformer Governor Osoba as the chairman of the book's public presentationbecause he was the one who rescued him when Obasanjo ordered his detentionat State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Panti in 2005.
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