By Gideon Njoku
Also reveals how President Tinubu helped him survive assassins’ bullets
A former Chief Whip of the Senate, Professor Sola Adeyeye, has insisted that the plot for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to tamper with the Nigerian Constitution, in other to enjoy a third term in office was real. Adeyeye, a NADECO chieftain during the dark years of the General Sani Abacha Regime said he was at the centre of it, and for rejecting the N70 million offered him to support it, he was targeted for assassination five times, but survived all.
The Professor made these revelations Sunday evening I’m an interview with Channels Television.
The allegation has been very strong over Obasanjo’s alleged plan to overturn the Constitution and govern Nigeria for three consecutive term, instead of the constitutionally approved two-terms. But it is an allegation the former President has consistently denied.
However, a number of those allegedly at the centre of the plot, or those who knew about it have also consistently confirmed that it was a done deal, almost, if it had not been courageously thrown out by the Senate.
One of them is Professor Adeyeye. He said knew about the plan and the offer of N70m to each Senator. But he said he rejected the offer and was killed, almost, for daring to reject the millions of Naira. He prided himself, while speaking, as the only Senator from Osun State who rejected the N70m offered to each of thrm. Others took, he revealed.
He also revealed how Tinubu taught him how to survive assassination.
Adeyeye: “I was the one who broke the news. In fact, I had given the news conferences twice. The newspapers did not take it seriously. I broke the news that we met in a hall, and the hall was full to the extent that they had to move the barrier.
“Nobody brought money there but as we were discussing, I said I heard that the presidency had made a plan to give each of us N50 million. A principal officer of the house corrected me that it was not going to be N50 million but, it would be N70 million. That was in 2006.
“So, I said if that is the case, we would lose this battle, Obasanjo would win. Because the only way we should act to make sure Obasanjo lost this battle was for us to make as much noise as possible. That the press, the union, the academia and everybody would join us in fighting Obasanjo.
“People thought we had been given money. I never said we were given money.
“What I said was that money would be given. But was money given? Oh yes. Not only was money given, but many even fought over the money given.
“I am the only one from Osun who did not take money. Every member of the senate and house of reps from Osun took the money. And I knew the one who gave them the money.
“I suffered more than any Nigerian Legislator because of the third term. I could not live in my house for two years. I escaped five assassination attempts.
“Thanks to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I went to his house one day and said look: ‘I need a bulletproof vehicle”. And he told me what to do.
“One of the things he told me was: ‘Go and get many used cars — different colours and shapes’. So, if I were coming to your house before I got there, I would have parked a car in your house.
“When I get to your gate, I would wind down and greet everybody to know I came in a green Honda Accord. Nobody would know I had maybe a Mercedes Benz or a Toyota parked in your house in a different colour and I would escape — all windows wound up without anybody knowing I have left your house. That is how I lived in my house for those few years.”
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s President from 1999 to 2007. He was also a Military Head of State from 1976 to 1979.
