Reno Omokri, a senior assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has cautioned Nigerians against former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of Peter Obi of the Labour Party, not to disrespect the elder statesman.
Obasanjo had urged Nigerians to vote for and support Peter Obi in a letter to the country’s youth, stressing that beyond what we have seen in recent years, the nation needs excellent leadership with character and a fear of God.
Some Nigerians attacked him like wildfire after his letter went viral and they disapproved of his support for Obi.
However, in response, Omokri, in a statement he made public via his facebook account, cautioned Nigerians to use caution when speaking negatively of Obasanjo, saying that Obasanjo had made sacrifices for the nation.
He asked people who had disrespected Obasanjo to offer their regrets right away.
His words: “I urge anyone who attacked President Obasanjo for endorsing Peter Obi to consider apologising to him. Obasanjo has done so much for Nigeria in peace and war. Whether or not we agree with his stance, we must respect his sacrifices for Nigeria.
“Treat him with dignity! In 1983, Chuba Okadigbo described Nnamdi Azikiwe’s protest against alleged election rigging as “the rantings of an ant’ (he later denied it). Zik made a pronouncement on him that many people think affected his life.
“We must be careful before attacking people, like Obasanjo, who fought for our nation. It can have tragic consequences! If not for Obasanjo, there may be no Nigeria today. He led the troops that ended the civil war. He is the first Nigerian leader not to be overthrown or killed.
“He is the first military ruler in Africa to VOLUNTARILY hand over to an elected President. He is the first elected President to handover to another elected President. Even if we disagree with him, we MUST respect him!”