A former Head of State Yakubu Gowon has recalled how he pleaded with the late Sani Abacha to spare the life of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Abacha regime arrested Obasanjo in 1995 owing to an alleged coup plot. However, the former president was released after Abacha’s demise in 1998.
The following year, Obasanjo became Nigeria’s president, elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking at the Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Gowon recalled how he wrote a letter to Abacha, pleading for Obasanjo’s life.
“We thank God because a moment ago, I think we had a story of somebody who was being decreed to be you know to die and by God’s grace, it wasn’t. And a moment ago, our host, had brought the greetings of my wife to all of you here,” Gowon said at the event which took place on Friday.
“And I want to sort of bring one story that you probably need to know. At that time, we were in Nigeria when the sentence was being done to General Obasanjo.
And honestly, I feel so bad about it. The thing should not happen. Such a thing should not happen. Certainly, it must not be.
“And so, I wrote a letter pleading with him, ‘Please, God has put you there at that time, but do not go to the extent of doing what you wanted to do.’ I had to send my wife with a letter to General Sani Abacha in the middle of the night. She came to Abuja to deliver the letter that such a thing should not happen. I’m glad that soon after that, things changed. Not only that. He left prison and of course, became the head of state.”
Gowon ascribed Obasanjo’s subsequent release to God and expressed gratitude that he and the former president were in attendance at the event.
“Now, it is something that only God through prayers and sincerity [can do]. And I thank God that in the end, today we are here, we are here together to celebrate Jesus and to thank God for what she has done,” he said.