Nigerian hawkers flood Lagos, Abuja traffic with Obasanjo’s ‘letter’

Nigerians have begun to sell the 13-page statement addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari by a former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, in traffic in major cities around the country.

PREMIUM TIMES reporter observed on Wednesday that in Lagos, copies of the ‘special statement’ printed and bound were being displayed and sold in traffic around major parts of the city.

Similarly, our correspondent gathered that the statement is equally being sold in major places in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

One of the hawkers who spoke to our correspondent in the Maryland area of Lagos Thursday morning attributed the development to the ingenuity of the Nigerian spirit.

“We have to sell and make money. People sold it too when Baba (Obasanjo) wrote a similar one to (Goodluck) Jonathan back then. Everyone wants to read it,” the hawker who identified himself simply as Joe, said.

Our correspondent gathered that the prices varied between N300 to N500 and more, depending on the seller.

Mr. Obasanjo himself has made the letter into a booklet which he has been distributing to friends and associates. An earlier report by PREMIUM TIMES suggested an initial 1000 copies were ordered. An aide of the former president said reprints might be commissioned.

In the lengthy statement, Mr. Obasanjo excoriated Mr. Buhari, saying the president has performed poorly in the administration of the nation.

The former President also called for the emergence of a ‘Third Force’ to rescue the nation from destruction.

The Nigerian government in its reply Wednesday thanked the former President and highlighted the various achievements of Mr. Buhari.

A statement by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, however said the Buhari administration will look into other areas of defect identified by Mr. Obasanjo.

Mr. Obasanjo had in 2013 written a similar letter to Mr. Jonathan after he fell out with the ex-president.