Yakubu Gowon, a former head of state, revealed that he pleaded with the late Sani Abacha, a former military ruler, to spare the life of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to NAN, Gowon made this revelation at the inaugural Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival organized by the Plateau state government.
Obasanjo was arrested by the Abacha regime in 1995 on charges of plotting a coup. He was released years later, following Abacha’s death in 1998.
In 1999, Obasanjo was elected president of Nigeria under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Gowon disclosed that he sent a heartfelt letter to Abacha, imploring him to save Obasanjo’s life.
“I wrote a letter to Abacha, I pleaded with him that God made him a leader to do good and not evil,” he said.
“I’m glad that soon after that, things changed, and not only that Obasanjo left prison, he became our president in 1999.
“This is something that only prayers and sincerity can do, I am happy that today myself and Obasanjo are here to celebrate the unity of Plateau.”
Gowon thanked the state government for organising the carol, adding that it would unite the citizens of the state who have experienced “a myriad of security challenges”.
