Obasanjo: Most people in government should be in jail… their character must change

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says many people holding political offices must change their character, noting that many of them should be in jail.

“So, the very beginning is ourselves, yes system, yes, we have to rethink our democracy but the character of people in government must change,” Obasanjo said in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital on Friday.

“With all due respect, most of those in government should right now be behind bars or in gallows.”

The former president was speaking when he received six members of the house of representatives sponsoring the bill on a single six-year term and rotational presidency.

Ugo Chinyere, chairman of the house committee on downstream petroleum led other lawmakers on the visit.

Obasanjo said succeeding governments failed to build on the foundation laid by his administration when he was the president.

“The issue for me if we get it right whether we have a single term of six years, or two terms of four years is that we must decarbonise our brains and mentality,” he said

“Look, if you give him a period of a single term of six years, he can go ahead and still do the evil he would have done in a case of two terms of four years.

“The only difference is that he would have done that within the period of six years and not four years and that is if he is not reelected for another four years.

“To me, this is not our problem. Our main problem is ourselves and until we take care of ourselves, if we like let us adopt a single term of six years, one term of four years among others with the same mentality and same way of doing things, nothing will change.”