By Felix Ofou, Ben Alaiya,
Tunde Abatan (Lagos)
Uwakwe Abugu (Benin) and Augustine Madu-West (Kano)

Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, declared that he is “very close” to the number one citizen and vouched for him, yet Afenifere also joined in firing the salvos.

It criticised the plan after its meeting in Ijebu Igbo, saying Obasanjo is on his own. The parley was attended by Afenifere members from all the six states in the South West.

It asked the President to demonstrate his seriousness against the project by publicly denouncing his campaigners so as to instill confidence in his government.

A communiqué read to journalists by Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said a third term by Obasanjo is an embarrassment and an impediment to the growth of democracy.

The crescendo which the campaign has reached, in his view, is enough for genuine lovers of democracy to smell a rat and “the best thing the President could do is to call the elements campaigning for him to order if he is not desirous of embarking on the project”.

But Daniel described as mischievous speculation that the President has an agenda to remain in office behind 2007.

He said the man has concluded arrangement to quit Aso Rock at the end of his second term in 2007.

Daniel told reporters in Kano: “I am close to Obasanjo; he has not discussed any third term agenda with me. In fact, as I am talking to you, he is already building a special resting home that would accommodate him at the end of his tenure as President in 2007”.

Daniel had himself condemned the tenure extension plan earlier this month, if at all in the works.

Noneheless, Kalu joined the fray late on Wednesday and is emphatic that the project would not work as Nigeria is rather too large for one man to ride roughshod.

Besides Daniel and Kalu, two other Governors – Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Lucky Igbinedion (Edo) – have also denounced the plan.

Kalu said on the VOA ‘Straight Talk Africa’ programme that no amount of constitutional twist will allow Obasanjo extend his tenure beyond 2007.

“Babangida tried it in 1992, he failed. Abacha did it in 1999, he failed. I warned before that Obasanjo will make the same attempt, but I was not taken seriously. In any case, I am sure he will fail, even if it means divine intervention as was the case with Abacha”, he said.

He challenged Obasanjo to make public his assets prior to his election in 1999 because it is the only way to lead by example and to ensure the success of his anti-corruption crusade. “Otherwise, the war on corruption will be treated as mere propaganda directed against political enemies”.

Falae also bared his mind in Abuja, where he called for opposition to any third term bid.

He did at the inauguration of the Association of Tipper and Quarry Owners of Nigeria (ATQON), an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

His words: “Though there has been a lot of denials from the government, we shall oppose any attempt by any group to distort the Constitution to suit its purpose. Nigeria is not a banana republic that its people will be taken for granted .

“We all know that in this country, there is no smoke without fire. We are ready to put the fire out immediately”.

He counselled members of ATQON to shun partisan politics and concentrate on the growth of the new union.

Despite the furore over the alleged third term plot, TUC National President, Nkiru Obiajulu, found time to applaud Obasanjo for securing a 60 per cent debt relief for Nigeria.

Yet Benin Youth Congress Worldwide (BYCW) threw its own hat into the ring with a warning to the President to shun the plot which “portends a doomsday”.

BYCW advised Obasanjo in a statement to ignore the agitators for a third term or set up a commission to investigate the doomsday prophets.

“In a country with over 120 million people, we know frankly that there are over 50 million patriotic leaders who can do better than Obasanjo.

“So, why the lie that he is the only one to consolidate the gains of democracy and, in any case, the Obasanjo-led government is falling far short of the expectations of Nigerians”, the statement said.

It was signed by BCYW Coordinator, Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo and its Chief Correspondence Officer, Osagunwenro Igawe.