ABUJA – Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed the need to elect men and women of integrity into the National Assembly, asserting his earlier comments that most of the national lawmakers are “rogues and armed robbers.”
He therefore, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to be “vigilant”, saying “whatever should not pass, should not pass”.
Obasanjo spoke with State House correspondents after holding talks with the President in his office.
His renewed assertion was against the fresh revelation of alleged padding of the 2016 budget involving the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and his Principal Officers.
According to him, the lawmakers had vindicated his earlier comments in 2012 that the National Assembly was populated by rogues and armed robbers.
His words, “Well, if you said that I have said it in the past and if they are people who didn’t believe what I said in the past, then you can now say that what has come out confirms what I said in the past, then you can say what I said in the past is what I will say now.
“It’s not a question of investigation, we should get men and women of integrity into the place and the President should be very vigilant. Whatever should not pass should not pass.”
Commenting on his mission, Obasanjo said he was in the Villa to deliver messages from Liberia, Gambia and Seychelles to President Buhari.
“I am visiting this time because I have some messages for the President. Not too long ago, I was in Liberia and Gambia and I have messages these two countries will want me to deliver to the President. “Also, only yesterday, I came back from Seychelles Island where I attended this year’s Annual General Meeting of Africa Export Development Bank, and there are aspects of the proceedings that I think I should update the President,” he said.
Obasanjo said travelling to different countries had educated him more. “Travelling is a good education, what you will learn about a country by visiting that country for two or three days you won’t learn by reading through books,” he said.
Asked whether he intended to slow down, Obasanjo said, “May God not allow you to slow down.”
