Coup: We Have Conditions That Encourage Incidents — Obasanjo

Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo has waded into the ongoing coup conversation, saying the environment in Nigeria supports such incidents.

Obasanjo made the remark while speaking at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during an interactive session with a group of youths from Africa for Africa Youth Initiative (A4A).

While stating that he would not support a coup, he added that if things come to that he may have no choice.

Obasanjo also called on the leaders of African nations to avoid pushing youths to the extent whereby they prefer a military takeover.

“Having suffered at the hands of Abacha, I won’t support a military coup. But if it has to come, what can we do?

“The point is this, do we have conditions that encourage the type of things that are happening, if we don’t have the conditions that encourage them, they may not happen.

“That does not mean it should be encouraged. What it means is that we should make sure that we do everything to prevent coups from happening.

“When you see things that happen in many countries, and I will not exclude Nigeria, then you wonder and don’t forget, don’t forget particularly the youth, they support most of these coups.

“The one in Gabon, the Coup Leader was being carried on the head by the youths, not by old wretched men and women like me.

“So, the youth are looking for liberators, and we must bear that in mind. Why do we have to allow the youth to start looking for liberators beyond the government of the day? Why?

“And if you have been in government for 40 years and you are not tired, maybe you need retirement,

“One, let me make it clear, I don’t support a coup because personally, I have been a victim of a coup. Two, the good thing about democracy, if it works and delivers, is that you can sit down and dialogue and debate and discuss. But your democracy must take integrity along with it.

“Your democracy must take honesty along with it. Your democracy must take character along with it. Your democracy must take those attributes, God-given attributes, inclusive society, no marginalization, no exclusion, no favouritism,” he said.