Iyabo Was Against My Presidential Ambition – Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that his eldest daughter, former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo told him he was going to die in office.
Obasanjo also said his daughter never supported his ambition to run for the position of the president of Nigeria in 1999.
The former president revealed this in his controversial book, ‘My Watch’.
He said when he met with Iyabo and three of his other children in New York about his desire to contest the 1999 Presidential election, that was when she made the shocking submission. “It was however ironic that Iyabo became a senator during my tenure,” he said.Prior to her election as a senator, Iyabo was appointed a commissioner by former Governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Danie. Obasanjo said: “My mind was almost made up (to vie for the position of President) but I had to consult with my children. I got four of them together in New York.
“I told them I was going to decide whether to go into politics or not. Iyabo was the most antagonistic.
“She burst out loudly, ‘I know you will join and you will die there and if you die, I will not weep. I told her ‘if I die and you weep, it is for yourself and others, not for me as I will not know you are weeping.’
“It is ironic that within 10 years, Iyabo became a Senator and I completed two terms of eight years without a scratch,” he said.
Obasanjo added that it was only Segun out of the four children that had a few words of encouragement.
The controversial book, ‘My Watch’ by former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo was launched in London on Wednesday, February 11.