Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo Denies Third Term Ambition, Calls Indispensable Leadership a Sin Against God
- Nigeria News
- 22.09.2025
- No Comment
- 30
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has strongly rejected long-standing claims that he sought a third term in office, describing the allegations as baseless and unsupported by evidence.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Obasanjo stated that no living or deceased Nigerian can provide proof that he ever solicited support for a third term bid.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian dead or alive that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” Obasanjo declared.
Obasanjo explained that achieving Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration was a much more difficult goal than securing an extended tenure. He argued that if he had truly wanted a third term, he would have achieved it just as he did with the country’s historic debt relief.
“I keep telling them that, look, if I wanted to get debt relief, which is more difficult than getting a third term and I got it, if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
The former president’s remarks underscore his insistence that his focus was on governance and national development rather than extending his stay in power.
In his speech, Obasanjo warned leaders who cling to power beyond reasonable limits, calling the notion of indispensability both dangerous and ungodly.
“I know that the best is done when you are young, ideal and vibrant and dynamic. When you are ‘kuje kuje’ you don’t have the best. But some people believe that unless they are there, nobody else,” he said.
“They will even tell you that they haven’t got anybody else. I believe that that is a sin against God, because if God takes you away, which God can do anytime, then somebody else will come, and that somebody else may do better or may do worse.”
According to Obasanjo, this belief undermines democratic values and the natural succession of leadership in society.
Obasanjo served as Nigeria’s democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007. Towards the end of his second term, speculation mounted that he was considering a constitutional amendment to allow him to run for a third term. The alleged move was widely criticized, but Obasanjo has consistently denied any involvement in such plans.
At the Democracy Dialogue, he reiterated that no credible evidence exists to support the claim and emphasized that his administration’s achievements including Nigeria’s debt forgiveness and economic reforms speak louder than rumours.
Obasanjo also cast doubt on the ongoing repairs of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries, questioning the sustainability and transparency of the projects. His comments come amid renewed efforts by the Nigerian government to revamp these critical oil infrastructures.
While not directly linking his refinery concerns to the third-term issue, Obasanjo used the platform to highlight broader governance challenges in Nigeria, including transparency, accountability, and leadership ethics.
Key Quotes from Obasanjo at the Democracy Dialogue
- “I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it.”
- “No Nigerian dead or alive can say I called him and told him I wanted a third term.”
- “If I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than a third term, I would have gotten a third term if I wanted.”
- “Believing you are indispensable is a sin against God.”
Obasanjo’s statements come at a time when issues of leadership succession, term limits, and democratic governance remain central to political debates across Africa. His rejection of a third term underscores the importance of respecting constitutional provisions and fostering a culture of leadership renewal.
By calling out the dangers of “indispensable leadership,” Obasanjo highlights the need for Nigeria and other African countries to build robust institutions that outlast individual leaders.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks at the Democracy Dialogue organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation reiterate his long-standing position that he never sought a third term. He also used the platform to challenge leaders who overstay their welcome in power, calling the belief in one’s indispensability a “sin against God.”
His comments serve as a reminder of the importance of ethical leadership, respect for constitutional limits, and humility in governance—values crucial for Nigeria’s democratic growth.
