TheCable

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disowned a viral letter, alleged to have been authored by him, asking Britain not to interfere in the forthcoming general election.

In a report published by some media outlets, Obasanjo was said to have asked Britain to “back down on the 2023 election and allow Nigerians to decide their candidate for once.” The letter claimed Britain attempted to rig the 2003 elections.

The letter also stated that Obasanjo reportedly said he would “rather release the information I have with me which will end Nigeria and put Britain in a bad light forever than for Obi to lose.”

However, in a statement on Thursday, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo’s spokesperson, said the former president had no links with the viral letter.

He added that the alleged plan by the former president to collude with the electoral body in the presidential election of February 25 is false.

“The former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, is not responsible for the viral stories on some discredited platforms on the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria,” Akinyemi said.

“Also, apart from the letters dated January 1, 2023, respectively, one, that which was addressed to the Nigerian youth and the other to Prof. Toyin Falola on his 70th birthday, there has been no other public or private letter written to anybody by the former president.

“The reading public is for the umpteenth time, reminded that only a statement duly signed by His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, or by his media assistant, Kehinde Akinyemi is to be allowed into the media space.

“If need be, necessary checks can be made to confirm the authenticity of such documents before publication to avoid any embarrassment.”

Earlier in the month, Obasanjo had endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the presidency ahead of the 2023 elections.