How I begged Yar’Adua to avoid clash with Obasanjo – Lamido

Former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, has shed light on behind-the-scenes political maneuverings during the early days of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration, particularly how he advised the president to tread carefully in dealings with his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo.

In his newly released autobiography “Being True To Myself,” publicly presented on May 13, 2025, Lamido offers an insider’s view into critical moments of Nigeria’s democratic history.

On pages 257 and 258 of the memoir, he recounts the growing tension between Yar’Adua and Obasanjo, which he believed could have escalated into a major political confrontation.

Lamido recalled that he felt compelled to step in after observing developments in the National Assembly, especially a debate surrounding the controversial $16 billion National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) a flagship program under Obasanjo’s administration. According to Lamido, the tone and direction of the debate gave the impression that Yar’Adua’s government was targeting Obasanjo.

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Concerned about the implications of such a rift between two sitting and former presidents of the same political family, Lamido said he personally advised Yar’Adua to avoid getting entangled in what could be perceived as a political witch-hunt.

Lamido said: “If the debate in the House of Representatives was led by a member of the opposition, that could be understood, but it was led by a very prominent PDP member and close ally of President Yar’Adua from Katsina State.

“The impression being given to Nigerians in that debate was that Obasanjo stole the $16 billion and the projects were abandoned. Of course, later events proved otherwise.

“I went to President Yar’Adua and drew his attention to the debate in the House of Representatives on the power issue. His tart response was ‘it is an issue being discussed by an independent arm of government.

“The second incident affected me more personally, when his Chief Security Officer, Tilde, called me while I was in office in Dutse. On answering the call, CSO tilde asked me where I was. I answered him casually that I was in my ‘VIllage capital’, Dutse.

“To my shock and disbelief, he said: ‘I thought you are in Ota with your President’. I was momentarily numbed. When I recovered from the shock, I rained all the insults I could muster on him and threatened that I will report him to President Yar’Adua.

“Perhaps to calm me down, he said: “Sorry sir, I just called to inform you that we have received a petition against you addressed to the President, and I am in a position to suppress it.”

“Not ready to mellow down I retorted, ‘Who do you think you can blackmail? Go to hell! With hindsight, I believe it must have been Mohammed Ali Ringim’s petition.”

Not done, Lamido said he hopped on a plane and went straight to the Presidential Villa where he went to Tilde’s office and heaped all the insults he could find on the security office to the hearing of everyone present.

The former Jigawa State governor noted that he didn’t fail to remind all of the President’s staff present that their principal won’t have been on the seat he occupied if it wasn’t for ex-President Obasanjo.

Haven given them a piece of his mind, he went upstairs to meet (the now late) President Yar’Adua.

As he approached the President’s desk, Yar’Adua said, “Sule what is agitating you?” according to Lamido, “Almost going down on my knees, consumed by emotions, I said, ‘Sir, in the name of God, please I beg you, do not fight Obasanjo.

“You are coming from a very strong, powerful political and moral background. It is neither in our religion nor culture to show ingratitude to one who has been with you in your hour of need and who stood against all forces to ensure you attained this very office you are in.

“He said, ‘Sule calm down. Sit down.’ He picked his intercom and summoned his ADC, Lt. Col Mustapha.

“When the ADC entered, the President asked him point blank, ‘ADC, what were my instructions to you with respect to Obasanjo?

“The ADC replied, ‘Sir, you asked me to accede to any issue either within or outside Nigeria including his travels, without recourse to you.”

“President Yar’Adua then turned to me and said, ‘ Sule, are you comforted now? I said ‘Yes Sir, and bade him farewell.”

(Vanguard)