I Still Have My Apprehensions Over Polls – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he habours apprehension over Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

He also expressed worry over the alleged discovery of thumb-printed ballots in Kano, Ondo and some parts of the country, stressing that the development could hamper credibility of the election.

Speaking on Friday in his Hilltop mansion, Ota, Ogun state, the former president charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address the discoveries and subsequently take precautions to curb electoral fraud.

He also dismissed claims that he had travelled out of the country, describing it as fake news.

He said “I believe that tomorrow (Saturday) should be a red letter day for Nigerians, a day when we should be able to say we have firmly stabilised our democracy. For me, I still have some apprehension.

“If the news of already thumb-printed ballot papers in Kano; I have also received news in Ondo today. I have received news from Ikorodu. If these are true, we have not heard anything like this before. I don’t want to say “Oh, have I not told you?” But it is sad if they are true.

“Maybe INEC would have to tell us how did this happen? Maybe INEC will have answer and not only the answers, precaution against this tomorrow because if people are thumb-printing, obviously, they want to make sure that those already thumb-printed ballot papers are used. If that happens, it will make non-sense of all INEC has prepared for and all Nigerians are looking forward to.”

He warned those peddling fake news to beware as he has left them in God’s hands.

“Those who are carrying such rumour or what they now called fake news, I think I leave them in the hands of God. I am used to that sort of things now. In Yorubaland, they say if your head is hard you don’t have to worry yourself. Let anybody tell lies against you. Let anybody carry fake news against you. Let anybody abuse you, God will deal with them rightly and appropriately,” he said.